Is This the Biggest NFL Contract in ND HIstory?

Former Notre Dame student-athlete Kyle Rudolph signed a $36.5 million contract extension yesterday with the Minnesota Vikings.   See the video interview below. 

The amount just might be the biggest ever signed by a former Notre Dame football player in the NFL.  Here's the top three that I've tracked down...

1. Kyle Rudolph:  $36.5 million
2. Golden Tate:  $31 million
3. Justin Tuck:  $30 million

If you know of bigger NFL deals signed by former ND football stars -- send me an email at jim.small@ndgoirish.com

LINK:  RUDOLPH TALKS $36.5 MILLION

Brady Quinn Joins Fox Sports College FB Team

Former Notre Dame All-American Brady Quinn has apparently signed a contract to be a color analyst on Fox Sports' college football telecasts this fall. 

Congrats Brady!

LINK:  BRADY'S BROADCAST BOOT CAMP

End Zone Stripes Are In -- Notre Dame Stadium

Drove by the Rockne Gate at Notre Dame Stadium -- this afternoon -- and took this photo.  I could see the diaganol stripes in the endzone are in place -- unfortunately, this photo does not do it justice.

From outside the tunnel gate -- the field looks awesome!

Here's the latest photo from inside Notre Dame Stadium -- much better!

Here's the story behind the end-zone stripes at Notre Dame Stadium.  There are nine stripes in each endzone -- totaling 18.  They are each set at an angle of 42 degrees -- all pointing towards Notre Dame's iconic Golden Dome.  

They signify the year 1842 -- the year the University of Notre Dame du Lac was founded.

 

SBT's Lesar Talks ND Football Independence

A group called CINESPORT -- never heard of them -- interviewed the South Bend Tribune's Al Lesar about the future of Notre Dame's football independence.  Here's a link to the video interview:

LINK:  INDEPENDENCE

OT: Nike's "Passing of the Baton" to Rory

You've got to hand it to Nike -- they "just do it..."

LINK:  NIKE

Justin Tuck's New Start With Oakland Raiders

The Mercury News caught up with former Notre Dame All-American Justin Tuck as he gets ready for his first Training Camp with the Oakland Raiders...

The photo above is of Tuck's distinctive face mask -- now on the "silver and black" helmet of the Raiders.

LINK:  TUCK

Harrison Smith Predicts How Many Irish Wins!

Former Notre Dame football captain Harrison Smith was interviewed walking into Vikings Training Camp the other day and he was asked a question about how many wins will our Fighting Irish have this season...

LINK:  HARRISON SMITH

Story on the Pittsburgh Steelers' Stephon Tuitt

Former Notre Dame student-athlete Stephon Tuitt is featured in this article about the Steelers' defensive line...

LINK:  TUITT

Coach Kelly Hosts FB Camp in Washington D.C.

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly was in Washington D.C. this week hosting a football camp at St. Johns College High School.

The folks at the Washington Times caught up with Coach Kelly for a quick interview...

LINK:  COACH KELLY

Photo of Kona Schwenke at KC Chiefs Practice

Here's a photo of Kona Schwenke (#93) today at the Kansas City Chiefs practice today...

Michael Floyd "One of the Top 25 Players..."

Under the age of 25 in the NFL...

So says the gang at ESPN -- click on the link below:

LINK:  MICHAEL FLOYD

Field Turf's Notre Dame Promotion Video

I'm going to take a guess that they don't do this often for their Field Turf installations...

LINK:  FIELD TURF PROMO VIDEO

The Five Best End Zone Paint Schemes...

You'll be surprised who's number #1 in this list of the "five most creative end zone paint schemes."

Now, you also must consider the source...

LINK:  END ZONE PAINT SCHEMES

ND Player Updates -- First Day of Training Camp

A number of Notre Dame football players suited up for the first day of NFL Training Camp with their respective teams today.  Here's what I could find on a number of former Fighting Irish football stars -- as you'll see, an alarming number of them were placed on the NFL's "PUP List."

That Notre Dame degree is so, so important!

LINK:  CHRIS WATT -- SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

LINK:  KYLE RUDOLPH -- MINNESOTA VIKINGS

LINK:  LOUIS NIX -- HOUSTON TEXANS

LINK:  STEPHON TUITT -- PITTSBURGH STEELERS

LINK:  GOLDEN TATE & T.J. JONES -- DETROIT LIONS

LINK:  PRINCE SHEMBO -- ATLANTA FALCONS

LINK:  ZEKE MOTTA -- ATLANTA FALCONS

LINK:  HARRISON SMITH -- MINNESOTA VIKINGS

LINK:  JIMMY CLAUSEN -- CHICAGO BEARS

LINK:  THEO RIDDICK -- DETROIT LIONS

LINK:  JOHN CARLSON & TROY NIKLAS -- ARIZONA CARDINALS

LINK:  KAPRON LEWIS-MOORE -- BALTIMORE RAVENS

LINK:  SERGIO BROWN -- INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

LINK:  ZACK MARTIN -- DALLAS COWBOYS

LINK:  DAVID BRUTON -- DENVER BRONCOS

LINK:  BENNETT JACKSON -- NEW YORK GIANTS

LINK:  ROBERT HUGHES -- ARIZONA CARDINALS

LINK:  IAN WILLIAMS -- SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

LINK:  MANTI TEO -- SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

LINK:  ANTHONY FASANO -- KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Aerial Photo of Notre Dame Stadium Field Turf

My understanding is these were taken by Joe Raymond -- South Bend Tribune free-lance photographer

Notre Dame Coaches' Under Armour Gear

The Fighting Irish football staff will return to the Guglielmino Athletics Complex next Monday as they gear up for the start of fall training camp on August 3rd -- the day players report.

Here's a photo of their new gear from Under Armour -- awaiting their arrival.

The photo was "tweeted" today by Ryan Grooms @NDFBEquipment

The "PRIME TIME" Fighting Irish of Notre Dame

Folks, it looks like seven of Notre Dame's football games this season will be televised in "prime time" on Saturday nights this fall.  I don't think any team has ever had this much prime time TV coverage in one season before...

Only Notre Dame!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME vs. NAVY IN PRIME TIME

The ND Monogram is in Place at the Stadium!

Here's the latest photos from the installation of Field Turf at Notre Dame Stadium.

They are moving fast!

Coach Kelly & Staff Visits Under Armour Today

The Notre Dame Football staff made the trek to Maryland today to visit the folks at Under Armour.  Here's a couple of photos "tweeted" by Coach Kelly...

The Field Turf is Down at Notre Dame Stadium

Here's the photo from today!  Next up -- the sidelines!!!