NFL Exposed For Now Trying To Cover Up Steelers Incident In Ireland

The Pittsburgh Steelers went over to Dublin, Ireland for a historic matchup for the organization. The late ambassador Dan Rooney served as the U.S. ambassador to Ireland from 2009-2012, and his legacy left a lasting impact on the team. Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin spoke extensively about how much this game meant to him personally, tying the occasion to Rooney’s influence and the deep connection between the Steelers and Ireland. The game itself lived up to the hype, with the Steelers edging out their opponents 24-21 in a hard-fought victory.

However, before the game even kicked off, troubling news emerged. Backup quarterback Skylar Thompson was allegedly robbed and mugged the night before the matchup. While the incident was reported by several media outlets, it was never formally filed with the Irish police as an official complaint, leaving many questions unanswered. The timing and nature of the reports fueled speculation about why the story didn’t gain more immediate traction during the event.

On Wednesday, NFL insider Mike Florio joined 93.7 The Fan and shared his perspective on the situation. Florio suggested that the NFL may have attempted to cover up the incident to avoid overshadowing the historic game in Dublin. According to him, the league likely wanted to preserve the celebratory atmosphere and not distract from the significance of the matchup, leaving fans and the media to piece together the story in the aftermath.

"Well, I think our shared cynical nature would be that neither the NFL or the Steelers wanted to create an international incident over this," Florio said on 93.7 The Fan. "If he wasn’t badly injured and whatever he lost wasn’t all that significant, then let’s just exercise discretion here and not file a formal complaint."

The Irish media reported that several people were involved in an assault on Thompson around the Temple Bar area. It was also revealed that his phone was stolen, but further details have been difficult to confirm. 

The Steelers released a statement themselves, but it didn’t provide much new information. Florio believes this was an attempt by the NFL to save face during what was otherwise a very positive day for the league.

"I don’t think he’s gonna fly back to Ireland and file one now," Florio said. "I think it was all about, hey, we don’t want anything to ruin all the positivity that comes out of playing this game in Ireland and expanding the global footprint. I think it’s that simple. Somebody suggested to him that the prudent thing to do would be to just say I am ok… We don’t want any dark clouds. We want all silver linings coming out of the excursion to the land of leprechauns and pots of gold."

It’s just an opinion by Florio based on what he has researched regarding the situation. Florio is as connected as anyone when it comes to the NFL, and it’s interesting to hear him suggest that the league may have tried to cover this up.

Steelers Fans Eager To Hear From Skylar Thompson

The first part of this is that Steelers fans are concerned and hopeful that Thompson is okay. The reports remain murky, and no one truly knows how Thompson has held up or what actually happened.

Thompson was already on injured reserve, and he clearly suffered injuries that required medical attention. Steelers fans are eager to hear from Thompson about the incident and remain hopeful that he is doing well. It was a very scary situation, but it sounds like the NFL didn't think they should report it to the Irish police.

What do you think about how the NFL handled the Skylar Thompson getting robbed in Ireland situation? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me.

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