The Pittsburgh Steelers moved to 3-1 after a 24-21 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, but Aaron Rodgers didn’t walk away entirely satisfied.
The veteran quarterback voiced frustration over the team’s late-game decision to punt instead of sealing the win on offense, noting they “have to finish that game out.”
Still, Rodgers endorsed Dublin as a host city, praising the hospitality and saying the Irish capital “100% deserves another NFL game,” per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
Rodgers also used the moment to reflect on his own career. “It's the twilight of my career. I wouldn't say back end. I used to say, 5, 6, 7 years ago I was on the back nine, but I'm teeing off on 18 right now,” Rodgers said, in comments published by Pryor.
When asked about the Ryder Cup, he quickly pivoted: “What happened to Ryder Cup? Europe's smashing 'em still? Yeah, that's too bad.”
The analogy felt fitting for a quarterback nearing the end of his storied run. Rodgers has long been open about using golf as a metaphor for his football journey, and the reference to teeing off on the 18th hole offered a candid look at how he views this stage of his career.
At the same time, his Ryder Cup quip showed he’s still engaged in the broader sports world, even as he focuses on leading the Steelers.
For Pittsburgh, the Dublin trip was historic as the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game in Ireland, a landmark moment tied closely to the Rooney family’s Irish heritage. Rodgers’ endorsement of a return suggests momentum for more international contests.
Still, improvement is the message within the locker room.
Safety DeShon Elliott put it bluntly to The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo: “I think we showed how great we can be, but we also showed we’ve got to be more confident… Once we are up, we’ve got to know how to put our foot on people’s necks.” He also laughed about his Irish jig celebration, saying fans seemed to love it.
The Steelers’ defense held up late, with T.J. Watt applying relentless pressure and the secondary surviving key injuries.
Offensively, DK Metcalf shone with 126 yards and an 80-yard touchdown, even taunting the Vikings with a viral “Hold this L” moment.
Pittsburgh now heads into Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns with momentum, but Rodgers’ words — both on football and golf — highlight the urgency of capitalizing while the window remains open.
