Latest / The Irish Steelers Podcast / Missi Matthews on NFL Draft memories and NFL Dublin Game
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: Irish airline aer Lingus will proudly serve as the presenting
- 0:03Speaker 1: partner of Steelers Ireland twenty twenty five. Airlingus's growth in
- 0:07Speaker 1: North America continues in twenty twenty five as the airline
- 0:09Speaker 1: prepares to fly to two new US destinations, Nashville and Indianapolis,
- 0:14Speaker 1: using its new Airbus eight three twenty one xl or aircraft.
- 0:18Speaker 1: This brings the number of transatlantic routes operated by the
- 0:21Speaker 1: airline from Dublin, Shannon and Manchester to twenty four. Steelers
- 0:25Speaker 1: fans traveling to Ireland for the Big Game can enjoy
- 0:27Speaker 1: a relaxing journey when they fly with air Lingus. Air Lingus,
- 0:31Speaker 1: You're very welcome.
- 0:40Speaker 2: Everybody. Welcome into the Irish Hears podcast. As we are
- 0:43Speaker 2: one week out from the twenty twenty five NFL Draft.
- 0:48Speaker 2: The Irish Theaters Podcast is presented by aer Lingus and
- 0:52Speaker 2: Steelers Nation. It's time to take flight with aer Lingus,
- 0:55Speaker 2: an official partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a founding
- 0:58Speaker 2: partner of Steelers Ireland. There has never been a better
- 1:01Speaker 2: time to book your trip to Dublin. With nineteen North
- 1:04Speaker 2: American gateways, including flights from nearby Cleveland to get ready
- 1:07Speaker 2: for warm, Irish hospitality and plenty of room on board
- 1:11Speaker 2: for your terrible title, whether it's a game day or
- 1:14Speaker 2: a getaway. Airlingus looks forward to saying you're very welcome
- 1:17Speaker 2: to the players and the fans of the Pittsburgh Staters.
- 1:21Speaker 2: You can book now at aerlingus dot com. And we
- 1:24Speaker 2: are getting closer and closer to the draft. As I said,
- 1:28Speaker 2: next week. At the time we're recording, we are one
- 1:31Speaker 2: week out and it's a really big, big week for
- 1:35Speaker 2: this team. Obviously, we're going to react to the draft picks,
- 1:38Speaker 2: to the things that happen next week, and we know
- 1:41Speaker 2: this is such an unpredictable draft, as every NFL draft is,
- 1:45Speaker 2: but we got some fantastic things to look forward to.
- 1:48Speaker 2: On this podcast, we have Missy Matthews coming on today,
- 1:51Speaker 2: but just very quickly to remind everyone that we have
- 1:54Speaker 2: an absolutely huge day next Saturday in the iconic Crow
- 1:59Speaker 2: Park Stadium in Dublin where the Pittsburgh Staelers will play
- 2:02Speaker 2: later this year. We've got two time Super Bowl champion
- 2:05Speaker 2: Brett Keesl joining us from Cokee Park as the Stators
- 2:09Speaker 2: hoster first ever NFL Draft party on the Isle of
- 2:13Speaker 2: the Ireland and it's actually the first ever official NFL
- 2:16Speaker 2: Draft party on the island of Ireland for an NFL team.
- 2:20Speaker 2: If you remember last year we had Carrie Footballer party,
- 2:23Speaker 2: Clifford making a pick from Carrie. Who knows what's going
- 2:26Speaker 2: to happen this year, Really really excited to see what happens.
- 2:29Speaker 2: That is sold out and props to every Staters fan
- 2:32Speaker 2: and every member of Steelers Nation that has bought tickets
- 2:35Speaker 2: and show under support for the Steelers efforts in Ireland.
- 2:38Speaker 2: From that, I'm going to be in Greenbay for Round
- 2:40Speaker 2: one and I'm going to be over at that party,
- 2:43Speaker 2: so I will see you on Saturday and we're so
- 2:45Speaker 2: excited for that party next weekend. For now, we have
- 2:49Speaker 2: got a great interview today with somebody that works closely
- 2:52Speaker 2: with all forms of Staters media. A fantastic chance to
- 2:55Speaker 2: chat ahead of the NFL Draft to Missy Matthews on
- 2:58Speaker 2: the Irish Theaters podcast. Absolutely delighted this week to have
- 3:03Speaker 2: on the Irish Staters Podcast the present of Erlingus Fantastic
- 3:06Speaker 2: Black and Back Missy Matthew's back to the podcast. As
- 3:09Speaker 2: we get ever closer to the NFL Draft, we are
- 3:12Speaker 2: a week or so out from mister Goodell opening the
- 3:16Speaker 2: draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Missy, You're very very welcome Falsa.
- 3:20Speaker 2: As we say, how are you doing.
- 3:22Speaker 3: I'm doing great, good to be back, excited to be here,
- 3:25Speaker 3: and I am still in shock that the NFL Draft
- 3:28Speaker 3: is next week. It feels like this offseason just went
- 3:30Speaker 3: really quickly. But it's always cool to see, you know,
- 3:33Speaker 3: hopes and dreams come true. As you said, with Roger
- 3:35Speaker 3: Goateell Goodell announcing them, who gets a hug?
- 3:38Speaker 4: Who doesn't want to hug the commissioner? And it's it's
- 3:42Speaker 4: cool to see.
- 3:44Speaker 2: It's going to be a really interesting week. I have
- 3:46Speaker 2: the great opportunity to head to Green Bay for run
- 3:49Speaker 2: one and I'm going to be back home for the
- 3:51Speaker 2: third round going forward on the Saturday, and a lot
- 3:54Speaker 2: of people listening to this will know what's happening. Obviously.
- 3:56Speaker 2: We're going to have brat Keesel come out to cook
- 3:59Speaker 2: Park Soul at watch party for the staters next weekend.
- 4:02Speaker 2: Really really cool, MESSI have you had a chance to
- 4:04Speaker 2: see much of the content from We've had a couple
- 4:06Speaker 2: of watch parties now and I this party as well.
- 4:09Speaker 2: Next week. Let's just say Irish funds European funds are
- 4:12Speaker 2: very passionate about this team.
- 4:15Speaker 3: I am so pumped for you guys that Bret Hezel
- 4:17Speaker 3: is coming over. He is hands down one of my
- 4:19Speaker 3: favorite Steelers players, just all around good.
- 4:23Speaker 4: Dude, knows how to fire up a crowd.
- 4:25Speaker 3: Not that, as you said, you guys are going to
- 4:27Speaker 3: need any help doing that, but even Pat Fryarmouth I
- 4:31Speaker 3: caught up with him a little bit after he got
- 4:33Speaker 3: back from his trip to Ireland and had nothing but
- 4:35Speaker 3: good things to say. So I'm very anxious and excited
- 4:39Speaker 3: to see what the video and the scene looks like
- 4:41Speaker 3: at Croke Part for the party that you guys are having,
- 4:45Speaker 3: because it's probably gonna be a lot more fun and
- 4:47Speaker 3: a lot more excitement than we're going to have in
- 4:50Speaker 3: the studio as we cover the draft.
- 4:52Speaker 4: But still, that's awesome.
- 4:55Speaker 2: Really looking forward to that, and I'm really looking forward
- 4:58Speaker 2: to see so many staters fonds next week in Dublin.
- 5:01Speaker 2: So if you are coming, do let us know and
- 5:02Speaker 2: we will definitely say hello to you. It's it's really
- 5:05Speaker 2: the perfect time, the hobbit in between the NFL season
- 5:08Speaker 2: ending on the next one start and then we'll talk
- 5:10Speaker 2: with that in a few moments MESSI, what's your what's
- 5:12Speaker 2: your plan next week? And what is draft night like
- 5:15Speaker 2: for you as somebody works with a team. Obviously in
- 5:17Speaker 2: the media side of.
- 5:18Speaker 4: Things, well, it will start.
- 5:19Speaker 3: Usually coach Seanlin and Omar Khan will hold a press
- 5:22Speaker 3: conference before the draft on Monday or Tuesday, kind of
- 5:26Speaker 3: answer all of the questions, set the tone of what
- 5:28Speaker 3: the team's looking for, you know, positions that are deep,
- 5:31Speaker 3: things that have changed since the last time they spoke
- 5:34Speaker 3: at the owner's meetings or even going back to the combine.
- 5:36Speaker 3: So that kind of gives you a gist of what
- 5:38Speaker 3: they're doing. They're not going to sit there and tell you, hey,
- 5:40Speaker 3: here's our plan, here's what we're going to do. Since
- 5:43Speaker 3: we don't have a second round draft pick for league,
- 5:46Speaker 3: here's who we're taking in the first that none of
- 5:48Speaker 3: that stuff happens, but you still kind of get a
- 5:50Speaker 3: general gist of where they sit at that point prior
- 5:54Speaker 3: to the draft, and then on draft night, it's it's
- 5:56Speaker 3: a lot of excitement, but it is a lot of
- 5:58Speaker 3: waiting because you have to wait till this dealers pick.
- 6:00Speaker 3: And obviously in recent years and years prior we've moved
- 6:04Speaker 3: up before, so that can also be exciting because you're
- 6:07Speaker 3: sitting there thinking maybe you have five draft picks, three, ten,
- 6:10Speaker 3: whatever it is, and then you get the call that
- 6:13Speaker 3: someone from upstairs in the war room, you know, is
- 6:15Speaker 3: letting the masses know that they're moving up. And it's
- 6:19Speaker 3: just always cool to hear and see from the coaches.
- 6:22Speaker 3: You know, they do so much homework that goes into
- 6:25Speaker 3: scouting these guys, not just their last year in college,
- 6:28Speaker 3: but prior to that. Coach Tumlin's always famous for saying
- 6:31Speaker 3: it pro days, you always ask older guys, hey, show
- 6:34Speaker 3: me somebody who's young and upcoming, and who I might
- 6:37Speaker 3: be back here to scout next year or the year after.
- 6:39Speaker 3: In that process really is, you know, years long. The
- 6:43Speaker 3: work that goes in by the coaching staff, the scouts,
- 6:45Speaker 3: it's just crazy and it all, you know, just happens,
- 6:48Speaker 3: and it's unpredictable. I think the fact that there hasn't
- 6:51Speaker 3: been a lot of movement in the first round is
- 6:53Speaker 3: something we haven't been used to in terms of just
- 6:55Speaker 3: overall in the NFL. So you never know if at
- 6:58Speaker 3: three o'clock on Thursday that might happen. But just a
- 7:02Speaker 3: lot of excitement covering the draft is by far one
- 7:04Speaker 3: of my favorite things to do.
- 7:06Speaker 2: Some massive names have obviously been drafted by the Steelers
- 7:09Speaker 2: in recent years. TJ. A. Watt for one, more recently
- 7:12Speaker 2: Naji Haras as well Alan thanaka Rod Woodson to the
- 7:16Speaker 2: name Go Terry Bradshaw and go down. So many different
- 7:20Speaker 2: guys have been drafted in the first round through recent years,
- 7:23Speaker 2: and it sounds like you're all gonna be very busy
- 7:25Speaker 2: over the next week or so long. We want to
- 7:27Speaker 2: wish you the very very best there. You know, you've
- 7:29Speaker 2: been with the team since around twenty twelve. You know
- 7:32Speaker 2: what's been your favorite draft night? Do you have a
- 7:34Speaker 2: favorite draft night? Or is it? They're all very much
- 7:36Speaker 2: to see him.
- 7:37Speaker 3: I think they're all different because there have been times
- 7:40Speaker 3: where the Steelers have moved. You know, the COVID draft
- 7:45Speaker 3: is weird and horrible as it was because I literally
- 7:47Speaker 3: was sitting where I am now in my kitchen in
- 7:50Speaker 3: my house. Coaches were at their houses, nobody was together.
- 7:55Speaker 3: The Steelers didn't have a first round draft pick that
- 7:57Speaker 3: year because that was part of the make of Fitzpatrick trade,
- 8:00Speaker 3: so their first pick wasn't until Day two. So it
- 8:03Speaker 3: was very weird, but just kind of realizing what was
- 8:07Speaker 3: going on in the state of the world, and the
- 8:09Speaker 3: NFL draft just kept going.
- 8:11Speaker 4: Roger Goodell is in his own house, so that one
- 8:13Speaker 4: stands out.
- 8:14Speaker 3: But I think the Ryan Chaseier draft, that's one that
- 8:17Speaker 3: always sticks out in my head. Even getting a chance
- 8:19Speaker 3: to pick them up from the airport the next day,
- 8:22Speaker 3: stuff onto it. Two guys that just instantly became really
- 8:26Speaker 3: great friends and met so much to that defense. You
- 8:29Speaker 3: were kind of at the point where they were doing
- 8:31Speaker 3: the changing of the guard of the guys who were
- 8:33Speaker 3: there prior to them and bringing those guys in and
- 8:36Speaker 3: just seeing what they were able to do.
- 8:38Speaker 4: That's one of the drafts that sticks out in my
- 8:41Speaker 4: mind for sure.
- 8:42Speaker 2: It's a promises to be a really memorable ekend next
- 8:46Speaker 2: week next week, and we're really really excited for it.
- 8:48Speaker 2: Would recommend everyone follow along obviously and Messy channels the
- 8:50Speaker 2: Staters media channels on our channels as well for a
- 8:53Speaker 2: lot more information. MESSI you are one of the people
- 8:56Speaker 2: we've had on the hot experience of going to the
- 8:59Speaker 2: Staters live game internationally, which was against the Vikings in
- 9:03Speaker 2: London and twenty thirteen. One thing has changed since we
- 9:06Speaker 2: last spoke to each hour and not obviously now is
- 9:09Speaker 2: the confirmation of this game that's going to take place
- 9:12Speaker 2: in Dublin out of d a TBC and an opponent TBC.
- 9:14Speaker 2: We hope to hear news and not over the next
- 9:16Speaker 2: few weeks. First off, it's been a long time common,
- 9:20Speaker 2: you know, do you feel like it's finally here. It's
- 9:23Speaker 2: great to see it actually happening, and especially for a
- 9:25Speaker 2: team like the Staters who have waited such a long
- 9:28Speaker 2: time for this to happen again.
- 9:30Speaker 3: I'm shocked that it got past ten years, let alone
- 9:32Speaker 3: longer than that, because, as you said, it was twenty thirteen.
- 9:36Speaker 3: It's crazy to think about. That was Le'veyon Bell's rookie season.
- 9:39Speaker 3: His first touchdown was in Wembley's Stadium against the Vikings.
- 9:43Speaker 3: It was a loss, but I still remember the front
- 9:46Speaker 3: flip that he did to celebrate it. But yeah, I
- 9:49Speaker 3: am shocked that the Steelers haven't gone international sooner. The
- 9:53Speaker 3: last time we spoke though, we were both you know,
- 9:55Speaker 3: very excited and wanting it to be in Ireland. So
- 9:57Speaker 3: I'm pumped that that has been confirmed. I get asked
- 10:01Speaker 3: daily by neighbors, friends, people I don't even know, you know,
- 10:05Speaker 3: when is the game because people that's information they want
- 10:08Speaker 3: to know, and as you said, hopefully you know, closer
- 10:10Speaker 3: to the schedule release or that night, whenever the NFL
- 10:13Speaker 3: decides to do it, we'll.
- 10:15Speaker 4: Find out when and who the opponent will be.
- 10:17Speaker 3: But just the fact that it's confirmed and in Ireland,
- 10:20Speaker 3: and just something totally different for the Steelers. They obviously
- 10:24Speaker 3: were there for a preseason game, but I think being
- 10:26Speaker 3: able to be the first regular season game, knowing what
- 10:30Speaker 3: Ireland needs to the Rooney family, it's certainly special, to
- 10:33Speaker 3: say the very least, and I think even coach Tomlin
- 10:35Speaker 3: always talks about what an honor it is to take
- 10:37Speaker 3: part in things like that, and remembering what Ambassador Rooney
- 10:41Speaker 3: DMR as we all called.
- 10:42Speaker 4: Him, would think about what is happening.
- 10:44Speaker 3: It's very special when you think about it.
- 10:47Speaker 2: It really is. And it's one thing that we have
- 10:49Speaker 2: asked people each week on this podcast and the off
- 10:52Speaker 2: season what it means to them, and it's really cool
- 10:55Speaker 2: Massy to hear just different stories and different views of
- 10:57Speaker 2: opinion as well. You know, you men, different people stop
- 11:01Speaker 2: out of the asking you what's the mood like in
- 11:03Speaker 2: the building. Because when I had the chance and you
- 11:04Speaker 2: brought up a really good point, had the chance to
- 11:07Speaker 2: meet pot Fire move over here, and he was just
- 11:09Speaker 2: so excited. Like but at the same time, there seems
- 11:12Speaker 2: to be a genuine, just real, real excitement and I
- 11:14Speaker 2: just can't wait for the hop Inlaye to be honest.
- 11:17Speaker 3: Yeah, I think even you know, for the football players
- 11:20Speaker 3: who clearly have the means to travel and do different
- 11:23Speaker 3: things that they want, it's still something cool in the
- 11:26Speaker 3: fact that you're playing a game on international.
- 11:29Speaker 4: Soil and knowing that it is going to be a
- 11:31Speaker 4: home game.
- 11:32Speaker 3: I think we all can can say that we know
- 11:34Speaker 3: what Kroke Park is going to look like when the
- 11:37Speaker 3: Steelers roll into that place. I think, you know, you
- 11:39Speaker 3: just everyone has the appreciation and you can still be
- 11:43Speaker 3: in awe when you go to a road game and
- 11:45Speaker 3: you see the terrible tiles and black and gold taking over.
- 11:48Speaker 3: But to do it in Ireland, I can't even imagine
- 11:51Speaker 3: what that atmosphere is going to be.
- 11:52Speaker 2: Like.
- 11:52Speaker 3: I remember stepping out on the pitch at Wembley and
- 11:55Speaker 3: just being like, holy crap.
- 11:57Speaker 4: First of all, that place is huge.
- 11:59Speaker 3: Yeah, the open air, it was just breathtaking. It's you know,
- 12:03Speaker 3: places that you see on TV or on the internet,
- 12:07Speaker 3: and for me that was my second time going to London.
- 12:11Speaker 4: That's my dog.
- 12:12Speaker 3: Sorry and fine, he's excited about Ireland too, apparently, probably
- 12:17Speaker 3: not when I leave. But yeah, I'm just super pumped,
- 12:20Speaker 3: and I think everybody is too, and even inside the building,
- 12:24Speaker 3: everybody wants to know when and who it's.
- 12:27Speaker 2: Going to be interesting to see. And I think that's
- 12:29Speaker 2: what makes it so special because it has been so long.
- 12:31Speaker 2: We will find out, I'm sure over the next few
- 12:33Speaker 2: weeks what happens, and we can't wait to see you
- 12:34Speaker 2: over there to see as well. I think we're shotting
- 12:37Speaker 2: the Max Starks. He's really excited as well. So it's
- 12:39Speaker 2: going to fly in And one thing that has flown
- 12:42Speaker 2: and so far really has been I'm calling the NFL
- 12:45Speaker 2: off season, but you know what, I know, it's not
- 12:48Speaker 2: really an off season. When you get the combine in
- 12:49Speaker 2: your free agency, you've got the draft next week, you've
- 12:52Speaker 2: get ots coming up, all these different things, You've got
- 12:54Speaker 2: the chances to sit down and shot with a number
- 12:57Speaker 2: of different pickups at Darius Sleigh is one of them.
- 13:00Speaker 2: What's it like actually having the opportunity to sit down
- 13:02Speaker 2: and shot to these guys as the andra to building
- 13:05Speaker 2: for the first time in a lot of cases, and
- 13:06Speaker 2: they get to know this team, albeit months out from
- 13:10Speaker 2: actually setting foot in the field.
- 13:12Speaker 4: I think it's cool.
- 13:13Speaker 3: It's not the same as the draftees when they come
- 13:16Speaker 3: in because they have no idea where they're going. Free agency,
- 13:19Speaker 3: you have some say you might not have an offer
- 13:22Speaker 3: from all thirty two teams, but usually you're helping pick
- 13:25Speaker 3: based off of the teams that are, you know, vying
- 13:28Speaker 3: for your services. But still, you know. Darius Slay was
- 13:30Speaker 3: just so appreciative. It was very complimentary of coach Tomlin
- 13:34Speaker 3: as a lot of guys are. The fact that he
- 13:36Speaker 3: doesn't really know him but just knows him from playing him,
- 13:38Speaker 3: and what he's seen and how much he wanted to
- 13:40Speaker 3: be in Pittsburgh.
- 13:41Speaker 4: It was very clear, and I think for.
- 13:43Speaker 3: DK Metcap it was like, Okay, I've I watched you
- 13:46Speaker 3: in person and Seattle play, and you are a large
- 13:49Speaker 3: human being. But now I am standing next to you
- 13:51Speaker 3: and you are a very very large human being. It's
- 13:54Speaker 3: always impressive to me when you see them in person,
- 13:57Speaker 3: because of course they look big on TV, but then
- 13:59Speaker 3: when you can size them up, you realize, like that
- 14:02Speaker 3: guy is a specimen and what he's able to do
- 14:05Speaker 3: on the football field is special and he was very
- 14:08Speaker 3: very excited.
- 14:08Speaker 4: His fiance was with him just to be there. So nice.
- 14:12Speaker 3: I can't say enough good things about those two guys
- 14:15Speaker 3: that I had a chance to interact with one on one.
- 14:19Speaker 2: It's been really like cool to see these new guys
- 14:21Speaker 2: comeing to building, but obviously as well to see all
- 14:22Speaker 2: the content that's been home allowed, especially over the last
- 14:25Speaker 2: few months since the game has been announced. Messie look
- 14:27Speaker 2: just from all of us, the very very best to
- 14:29Speaker 2: look next week as the NFL Draft rolls and the
- 14:32Speaker 2: Green Band the best look to all of you in
- 14:34Speaker 2: Pittsburgh getting ready for that night itself and that big
- 14:37Speaker 2: weekend than the days of follow and we look forward
- 14:39Speaker 2: to be chatting to you closer to the game later
- 14:41Speaker 2: on this year. Thank you very much.
- 14:43Speaker 3: Yeah, thank you for having me have fun in Green
- 14:45Speaker 3: bayby not too much fun. We'll see in Pittsburgh next
- 14:47Speaker 3: year for the twenty twenty six draft.
- 14:49Speaker 4: That would be more fun.
- 15:03Speaker 1: Irish Airline aer Lingus will proudly serve as the presenting
- 15:06Speaker 1: partner of Steelers Ireland twenty twenty five. Airlingus's growth in
- 15:10Speaker 1: North America continues in twenty twenty five, as the airline
- 15:13Speaker 1: prepares to fly to two new US destinations, Nashville and Indianapolis,
- 15:17Speaker 1: using its new Airbus eight three twenty one excel Or aircraft.
- 15:21Speaker 1: This brings the number of transatlantic routes operated by the
- 15:24Speaker 1: airline from Dublin, Shannon and Manchester to twenty four. Steelers.
- 15:28Speaker 1: Fans traveling to Ireland for the Big Game can enjoy
- 15:30Speaker 1: a relaxing journey when they fly with air Lingus. Air Lingus,
- 15:34Speaker 1: You're very welcome.