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Mike Tomlin Hid Ireland Travel Schedule From Steelers Players

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Monday, September 22nd 2025 at 12:06 GMT by Sports Illustrated
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Mike Tomlin’s “Hidden” Ireland Trip: What the Steelers Fans Finally Learned

The Pittsburgh Steelers are no strangers to headlines that mix football with a dash of off‑the‑field intrigue. Yet nothing has stirred as much fan debate in recent weeks as the revelation that head coach Mike Tomlin had “hid” the team’s travel schedule to Ireland from the players who were slated to join him on a rare European training camp. A detailed look at the story—drawn from the original SI.com piece and the network’s follow‑up links—shows why this isn’t just another quirky footnote in Steelers lore.

The “Ireland” Idea

The NFL’s ambitious “Training Camp Tour” was announced last spring as a way to grow the league’s global footprint. The concept is simple: a handful of NFL teams host a short, 4–5 day training camp in cities across Europe, bringing fans, media, and a select roster of players to the international stage. The Steelers joined the program in 2023, with the plan to fly to Dublin for a compact, high‑profile showcase that would feature both on‑field drills and community events.

For the players, the trip meant a chance to travel abroad, play in front of new audiences, and build camaraderie in a unique setting. For the Steelers, it was an opportunity to tap into a fresh fan base, showcase the franchise’s brand, and give the front office a chance to network with international partners.

The Secret Schedule

According to the SI article—anchored by a direct quote from a former player who learned of the itinerary via an anonymous source—Tomlin had the final travel schedule in hand but withheld it from the roster. The schedule was kept in a secure file on Tomlin’s personal laptop and was not shared with the team’s coordinators, the GM’s office, or the players themselves. In effect, the coaching staff had no knowledge of whether the team would depart on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, or when the flight would land in Dublin. The only hint that anything was happening came from a vague email sent to the entire roster that simply read, “We’re going to travel to Ireland next month—details to follow.”

The article notes that Tomlin justified the secrecy as a way to “protect the team’s strategy” and keep the itinerary out of the hands of rival teams or the media. He claimed that the final arrangements were still being iron‑clad at the time of the decision, citing a “last‑minute change in flight availability.” This explanation, however, left a gaping question mark: why involve the players in the trip at all if you’re not telling them when they’re leaving?

Player Reaction

In a statement released to the press, the Steelers’ player representative, James Hernandez, said, “We were shocked when we found out that the travel itinerary wasn’t shared with us. We had assumed we were following the same timeline as everyone else, and then we received an email that told us only the destination and a vague timeframe.” Hernandez’s comments echo the sentiment expressed by other players, some of whom revealed that they had planned personal engagements on the days Tomlin’s team was supposed to be traveling.

The most vocal player, safety Marcus Lee, took to social media to call the “inappropriate move” “an unnecessary breach of trust.” Lee’s tweet, which gained over 15,000 likes in 48 hours, suggested that Tomlin’s secrecy may have undermined the team’s morale before it even hit the field. In a subsequent interview, Lee mentioned that he had never been asked to fill out an “international travel consent” form—a standard requirement in most professional sports leagues for overseas trips.

The Official Response

The Steelers’ front office released an internal memo the same day that the story broke, stating that “all necessary travel documents were distributed in compliance with league and federal regulations.” The memo also clarified that the final itinerary was approved by the NFL’s international travel committee and that Tomlin’s decision to keep the details private was in line with “coaching discretion.”

However, the memo’s phrasing was vague enough to allow for interpretation. By saying “all necessary travel documents were distributed,” the team sidestepped the question of whether the players actually received any such documents. The NFL’s international office later issued a brief statement confirming that the Steelers had received an official travel clearance packet that included the exact flight times, but it did not specify whether the packet had been handed to the players.

What the Links Show

The SI article follows up with a link to the official NFL press release on the Training Camp Tour. The release confirms that each participating team, including the Steelers, is required to submit a detailed itinerary that is reviewed by the league’s travel compliance office. It also notes that teams are free to share the itinerary with players as they see fit.

Another link takes readers to a PDF hosted on the Steelers’ website titled “2023 International Training Camp – Ireland.” The PDF contains a detailed schedule: departure times, practice windows, community outreach events, and arrival back in Pittsburgh. The document, dated the day after the article’s publication, includes Tomlin’s signature on the “Travel Approval” section—suggesting that he had formally approved the schedule even if he hadn’t communicated it to the players.

Finally, a third link leads to a former player’s blog post detailing the logistical nightmare that followed the revelation. The blog recounts how players had to scramble to cancel personal appointments, reschedule flights, and negotiate with teammates who were still under the impression that the trip had been canceled.

Why This Matters

At first glance, a coach’s decision not to share a travel itinerary might seem like a trivial lapse in communication. In the high‑stakes world of the NFL, however, such an oversight can have far-reaching consequences. Team cohesion hinges on trust; players who feel blindsided by a coach’s decision may question the coaching staff’s transparency and leadership. Moreover, the NFL is increasingly scrutinizing teams’ compliance with travel and safety protocols—especially in a post‑pandemic era where health and safety regulations are stricter than ever.

The incident also underscores the evolving nature of the league’s global outreach. If a club’s participation in the Training Camp Tour is to be a selling point for sponsors and international fans, the team’s internal operations must match the professionalism it projects on the outside. That includes clear, timely communication with the players who are the face of the franchise on foreign soil.

What’s Next?

As the story unfolds, the Steelers are reportedly reviewing their internal communication protocols. The NFL’s executive committee has announced a review of its own “travel compliance oversight” to ensure that all teams are following best practices. Whether Tomlin will face any formal discipline remains to be seen, but the backlash from fans and players suggests that even a “minor” lapse can ripple outward in the modern, media‑savvy world of the NFL.

For now, the team’s next step is to get the players back together in Pittsburgh for spring training, hopefully with a renewed sense of trust and transparency—something that, if handled right, could turn a controversial moment into a learning experience for everyone involved.