Pittsburgh Steelers legend Vince Williams takes a picture of himself and Will Allen with some of the children during the flag football clinics. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
In September, the local economy benefited by over €100m when the Steelers beat the Minnesota Vikings 24-21 in the first regular season NFL game to be played in this country, with GAA HQ a sell-out for the occasion.
The Irish Government spent €10m, and Dublin City Council contributed €350,000 to bring the fixture to the capital.
"The amount generated didn't surprise me just because we knew how exciting the potential of a game here would be and Steelers Nation came out in full force," said Rooney.
"The ticket queue for the game was truly incredible, and then I think over 50,000 international fans travelled to Ireland to come see that game, so the scale of a regular-season NFL game is far-reaching.
"The viewership was significant as well - that was viewed heavily across the world and back in the States.
"So Dublin is truly situated perfectly for an NFL match - not just because of the great venue that is Croke Park, but the life and energy that exists in Dublin and across the island. It's a special place.
"Really, the whole trip was incredibly positive. From the NFL to the Irish Government and everyone who supported efforts to get that game in place, we were all thrilled with the outcome.
"It certainly didn't hurt that the Steelers came out on top that day, so we'll remember that one forever."
There was disappointment among Irish gridiron supporters - and sports fans in general - that the NFL chose not to return to Dublin for the 2026/27 season, despite the success of the Croke Park experiment.
"I can't speak for the NFL on that one," Rooney said. "That's a decision that's made at the league level. I know the commissioner said at his Super Bowl press conference that the NFL wants to return to Ireland for a game.
"So the future is absolutely bright, and Dublin proved itself as truly capable of hosting an NFL game, and hosting it in a big way, in a unique way. It's hard to say there's a better spot for a game than Dublin.
"We'd love to come back. That experience from players to coaches to our fans, everyone's still glowing over it, and we'd love to get back here one day.
Schoolchildren taking part in the Pittsburgh Steelers' flag football clinics this week. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
"The commissioner is serious about growing our game internationally and with that is playing our games in the markets that the NFL and the various clubs are focused on.
"We expect to be playing more international games, and the logistics piece is something that comes with it, but with a good plan in place, it's not a problem.
The son of a former US ambassador to Ireland, Rooney has been a major force in the Steelers' drive to make the gridiron game more popular in this country.
Along with former Steelers players Will Allen and Vince Williams, Rooney is in Dublin, Belfast and Cork this week as the club hosts flag football camps for young enthusiasts.
He has seen interest grow massively over the last three years through the NFL's Global Markets Programme.
"We saw a game that had the potential of catching on here in Ireland," said Rooney.
"But fast forward to where we're at right now in 2026, you see the passion from the kids on the field and an understanding of the game.
"So we truly do feel like participation and interest have grown over the last three to four years, which is really exciting.
"I'm always impressed every time I come over here just by the level of athleticism that exists and I know through the great sports like hurling, Gaelic football, rugby and what we call soccer, the young Irish kids grow up kicking balls and just they're very talented. It's impressive.
"This is a game that we're in love with back home, so we love to teach our game and bring current and former Steelers over to teach our game. We have Vince Williams and Will Allen over here interacting with the young Irish and teaching them the sport we love.
"So truly, no ceiling on it. The flag football element is just very neat because it's an easier way to pick up the sport and start playing, whether you're in your backyard or out on a field like this today. All you really need is a ball and the flag kit."
With former Down footballer Charlie Smyth shooting out the lights with the New Orleans Saints last season and Dan Whelan an established kicker with the Green Bay Packers, Rooney believes a pipeline of talent can flow in time from Ireland.
"It would appear that's been building," he smiled. "I know Tadhg Leader has done a fantastic job with his programme, in terms of recruiting Irish kickers and punters and being able to get them over to the States, whether it's in college programs or into the NFL.
"So that has picked up quickly, and Charlie is an impressive young man from County Down, where the Rooneys hail from, which is neat."
The Pittsburgh Steelers returned to Ireland this week to build on a successful 2025 and continue their long-term commitment to growing the game of American football across the island by launching the Steelers Flag Football Tournament, presented by Aer Lingus and UPMC.