Notre Dame’s NFL Legacies Take Center Stage in Rout of Rice

Notre Dame has more sons of former NFL players than seemingly anywhere, and plenty of them were on full display in Saturday's blowout win over Rice

Notre Dame wide receiver Jerome Bettis Jr. walks off the field after winning a NCAA football game 52-0 against Rice at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in South Bend. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Notre Dame kicked off the home portion of its schedule on Saturday, routing Rice by a final score of 52-0. It was a day that the Fighting Irish could have picked the number, but called the dogs off early in the second half while holding on to keep the shutout.

Although the official number isn't kept anywhere, its hard to imagine any other program having nearly as many sons of former NFL standouts as Notre Dame has.

On Saturday, the talents of those legacies were on full display for Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish. Some of the highlights included:

Jerome Bettis, Jr.: 2 Receptions, 61 Yards

The sophomore wide receiver and son of the Notre Dame and Pittsburgh Steelers legend led all Notre Dame receivers with 61 receiving yards on Saturday. Bettis hauled in a 56-yard reception early in the second half that, had it been thrown a little more on the money, would likely have been taken the distance by the Mini-Bus.

Elijah Burress: 3 Receptions, 33 Yards

The son of Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress had a career-high 33 receiving yards on Saturday. Burress had three receptions as a freshman last year for 21 total yards.

Devin Fitzgerald: 1 Reception, 20 Yards

The son of new Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald recorded his first career reception for 20 yards. Fitzgerald is a freshman, alongside Kaydon Finley, the son of former Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley.

Bryce Young: 3 Tackles, 2 Solo, 1 Sack, 2.5 Tackles for Loss

Bryce Young is down 10 pounds from last year and early in 2026, the results are a major positive. Young was among Notre Dame's defensive leaders on Saturday, as he was a regular force in the Rice backfield. Young's body is the prototype for a defensive end, and expectations are high for him to take a big step in becoming one of Notre Dame's defensive leaders this fall.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Thoughts

Marcus Freeman often talks about how he and the Notre Dame coaching staff are big fans of genetics. We're seeing more of these young men playing as underclassmen and starting to produce a bit, which has obvious value.

The other value it brings is on the national recruiting scene. If Notre Dame is good enough for Larry Fitzgerald or Jerome Bettis to have their sons play at, then how could it possibly not be good enough for any other Tom, Dick, or Harry?

It's a selling point for Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame that is also starting to get more proof of concept. Notre Dame really is in the middle of its best era in 30 years, and the sons of some of the best to ever play this fine sport are seemingly only going to help that.