Pittsburgh Steelers visit AAB as they are awarded rights to expand brand in NI and ROI

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(LtoR) AAB Managing Partner Feargal McCormack, former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart and Director of Business of Development & Strategy

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AAB Managing Partner Feargal McCormack hosted Daniel Rooney, Director of Business of Development & Strategy at Pittsburgh Steelers (Grandson of former US Ambassador to Ireland) and former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart who played in the only previous NFL Game in Ireland at a pre-season game involving Pittsburgh Steelers back in 1997 at Croke Park.

AAB and the Rooney family’s close association goes back over 30 years when Dan Rooney, then President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Steelers and later US Ambassador to Ireland, hosted Feargal McCormack alongside Seamas Mallon MP and Dr Tony O’Reilly CEO of Heinz Corporation, in Pittsburgh at the foundation of the Newry Pittsburgh Partnership.

In 2000, Dan Rooney became the third person in history to be presented with the Charter of Newry and at this time AAB created a Rooney Room in their Newry office in his honour. During the recent visit to Newry, Feargal McCormack was delighted to host Daniel Rooney and Kordell Stewart in the AAB Rooney Room.

To mark the success of the NFL Global Markets Programme, Six-time Super Bowl champions Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping to host an NFL game here in the future after the NFL franchise was awarded the Pittsbugh Steelers the rights to expand their brand across the Island of Ireland.

The Steelers were founded in 1933 by Art Rooney, whose great-grandparents, James and Mary Rooney, emigrated to Canada from Newry before the family eventually settled in Pittsburgh.

The Rooney family still own the Steelers and the Pittsburgh Steelers current President Art Rooney II (son of Dan and father of Daniel Rooney) said they are looking forward to “growing our fanbase and the love of American Football” on the island of Ireland through the Global Markets Programme.