Art Rooney II willing to raise hand for Steelers to play game in Mexico City

If the Pittsburgh Steelers have a chance to travel south of the border in the 2020 season, team president Art Rooney II is all for making the trip.

“We continue to raise our hand and say that we’re interested in playing a game in Mexico,” Rooney told reporters earlier this week. “But who knows?”

The likely opponent for an international game would be the Jacksonville Jaguars, although the most likely destination would be London. The Jaguars have conducted one “home” game at Wembley Stadium for the past seven years.

Jacksonville’s agreement to play one home game annually at Wembley Stadium expires after the 2020 season. Aside from the Steelers, other possible opponents are the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions in addition to division foes Tennessee, Indianapolis and Houston.

In November 2019, the NFL announced that the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins will serve as home teams for international games in 2020. The Steelers aren’t scheduled to play the Falcons or Dolphins next season.

The NFL has conducted three regular-season games in Mexico City in recent years. That doesn’t include a 2018 game that was relocated because of unplayable field conditions.

The Steelers played an exhibition game in Mexico City in 2000 and for the past several years, they have conducted clinics in Mexico during the summer to help expand their growing fan base.

“They have to work out the logistics and all the pieces of the puzzle to have a game down there,” Rooney II said about a trip to Mexico City. “Our first choice would be to play a game in Mexico if we have an international trip.”

The last time the Steelers played an international game was 2013 in London when they were designated the visiting team against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Steelers also have played exhibition games in Toronto, Montreal, Barcelona, Tokyo and Dublin.

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