Broadcasting live from The Europe Hotel in Killarney, Kerry Senior Football Captain and Steelers fan, Paudie Clifford, announced last evening that Mason McCormick from South Dakota State University has been selected as the Pittsburgh Steelers fourth round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The NFL Draft is an annual 3 day event, comprised of 7 rounds where each of the 32 NFL teams are able to recruit up and coming American football players and offers them spots on their roster. This year’s NFL Draft took place from the 25th – 27th of April in Detroit and at it’s peaks, the event is watched by over 54 million people.
This is the first time the Pittsburgh Steelers have announced one of their picks live from Ireland and were delighted to work Paudie Clifford, who was on hand this evening in Killarney with young fans to announce the fourth round pick for the Steelers.
Announcing their fourth round pick from Ireland is the latest event in a series of activities that the NFL team have hosted on the island of Ireland since being granted the rights to expand their brand and activities for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland as part of the NFL’s ‘Global Markets Program.
The NFL’s Global Markets Program grants NFL clubs access to international markets to expand and raise further awareness of the game through activities such as fan and youth events, along with corporate sponsorship and merchandise sales.
The Pittsburgh Steelers visited Dublin two weeks ago, where they hosted their first-ever American football Kicking Clinic where over 25 aspiring Irish kickers and punters across various age ranges attended and received real time coaching and instruction from Steelers alumni. The NFL team have also previously hosted fan and football educational events, including a youth football skills clinic and a first of its kind, sold-out Fan Watch Party at Croke Park in Dublin last November.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have launched dedicated Irish social media accounts, where content is regularly published for Irish fans to enjoy. The NFL team are now in the planning phases of future upcoming events and marketing activities in Ireland and Northern Ireland, with the Steelers aspiring to host an NFL game on the island in the coming years.
