(Photo: Icon Sportswire)
There’s a reason Notre Dame keeps showing up on football’s biggest stage.
From Red Mack making the first tackle in Super Bowl history to Joe Montana orchestrating one of the most iconic drives the game has ever seen, former Notre Dame players in the Super Bowl have left indelible marks on nearly every era of the game. This year, that lineage continues as Julian Love and Rylie Mills of the Seattle Seahawks add their names to a long list of Fighting Irish alumni connected to football’s biggest event.
The Numbers Behind the Legacy
Notre Dame’s Super Bowl history remains one of the most extensive of any college football program:
- 75 former Fighting Irish have appeared on Super Bowl rosters
- 44 Notre Dame alumni have earned at least one Super Bowl ring
- 45 total Super Bowl championships have been won by Notre Dame alumni
Names jump off the list (ND years): Paul Hornung (1954–56), Red Mack (1957–60), Rocky Bleier (1964–67), Joe Montana (1974–79), Ricky Watters (1987–90), Mark Bavaro (1978–82), Bryant Young (1990–93), Justin Tuck (2002–05) — a lineage that reads like a who’s who of NFL excellence.
Red Mack and Rocky Bleier: The Foundation of Notre Dame’s Super Bowl Legacy
Super Bowl history began with Notre Dame grit.
In Super Bowl I, Red Mack — a former Notre Dame running back and wide receiver — recorded the first tackle ever made in Super Bowl history while playing special teams for the Green Bay Packers, a distinction confirmed by the Packers’ official historical records. On the sport’s biggest stage, the very first defensive imprint belonged to a Fighting Irish player.
Rocky Bleier carried that toughness forward on a grander scale. A Vietnam veteran and captain of Notre Dame’s 1966 national championship team, Bleier went on to win four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers (IX, X, XIII, XIV). His defining Super Bowl moment came in Super Bowl XIII, when he caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Terry Bradshaw and later recovered an onside kick to seal the victory. Bleier’s legacy — much like Notre Dame’s — was built on resilience, not flash.
Joe Montana and “The Drive”
No Notre Dame Super Bowl story is complete without Joe Montana.
A four-time Super Bowl champion and three-time Super Bowl MVP, Montana’s postseason résumé stands alone among former Irish players. Yet his most famous Super Bowl moment came before a single throw.
In Super Bowl XXIII, with the 49ers trailing the Bengals 16–13 and just 3:20 remaining, San Francisco took over at its own eight-yard line. Sensing the tension in the huddle, Montana glanced into the stands, spotted actor and comedian John Candy, and calmly said, “Hey, isn’t that John Candy?” The moment wasn’t about humor — it was leadership, a signal that the stage wasn’t too big.
What followed became legend: a 92-yard drive capped by a game-winning touchdown pass to John Taylor. Montana finished 23-of-36 for 357 yards and two touchdowns, cementing “Joe Cool” in Super Bowl lore and forever tying Notre Dame quarterbacks to poise under pressure.
Quarterbacks, Champions, and Championship Moments
Montana wasn’t the only Notre Dame quarterback to leave his mark on Super Bowl Sunday.
- Joe Theismann (ND 1968–70) led Washington to a Super Bowl victory following the 1983 season.
- Terry Hanratty (1966–68) took snaps for the Steelers in their Super Bowl X win.
- Steve Beuerlein (1983–86) saw action late in Dallas’ Super Bowl triumph over Buffalo.
- Daryle Lamonica (1960–62) threw two touchdown passes for Oakland in Super Bowl II.
Former Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book (2016–20) also earned a Super Bowl ring last season as part of the Philadelphia Eagles organization, adding another championship to the Irish ledger even though he was not on the game-day active roster.
Another Irish quarterback, the great Tom Clements (1972–74), earned a Super Bowl ring not as a player but as a coach, serving as Aaron Rodgers’ quarterbacks coach during Green Bay’s championship season.
Defense, Dominance, and the Irish Imprint
Notre Dame’s Super Bowl legacy is just as deep on defense.
Jim Lynch (1964–66), a starter on Notre Dame’s 1966 national championship team, later started at linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs in their Super Bowl victory. Alan Page (1963–66), one of the greatest defensive linemen in NFL history, appeared in four Super Bowls with the Vikings.
Ross Browner (1973–77) set a Super Bowl record with 10 tackles by a defensive lineman in a losing effort for Cincinnati. Bryant Young (1990–93) became the only former ND player to start a Super Bowl as a rookie, anchoring the 49ers’ defense during their 1994 championship run. Justin Tuck (2002–05) twice tormented Tom Brady, recording two sacks in each of the Giants’ Super Bowl victories over New England.
Skill Positions, Special Teams, and Subtle Impact
Ricky Watters (1987–90) remains the most prolific Notre Dame scorer in Super Bowl history, recording three touchdowns in Super Bowl XXIX. Jerome Bettis (1990–92) finally captured his long-awaited ring in Super Bowl XL, famously retiring while holding the Lombardi Trophy.
On special teams, Irish alumni quietly delivered championships:
- Hunter Smith (1995–98) punted for the Colts’ Super Bowl title team
- John Carney (1984–87) converted key kicks for the Saints
- Craig Hentrich (1989–92) handled punting duties in Green Bay’s Super Bowl XXXI victory
Nick Buoniconti (1959–61) clinched the Dolphins’ perfect 1972 season with a late interception, while Bob Kuechenberg (1965–68) protected Miami’s offense during its championship years.
Coaches, Rings, and the Broader ND Footprint
Notre Dame’s Super Bowl influence extends beyond players.
Former Irish assistant Hank Stram (ND assistant coach, 1957–58) won a Super Bowl as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Charlie Weis (ND head coach, 2005–09) earned three Super Bowl rings as an NFL offensive coordinator with the Patriots before arriving in South Bend. Andy Heck (1986–89), a captain of Notre Dame’s 1988 national championship team, has won three Super Bowls as Kansas City’s offensive line coach.
The Present Chapter: Love and Mills Carry the Line Forward
This season, Notre Dame’s Super Bowl connection runs through Seattle.
Julian Love (2015–18), now in his seventh NFL season, has compiled 497 career tackles, 13 interceptions, and 46 passes defended, continuing the Irish tradition of intelligence and versatility in the secondary.
Rylie Mills (2019–24), a rookie defensive tackle, is rostered for the Super Bowl after appearing in four regular-season games. His NFL development has been slowed by recovery from the torn ACL he suffered during Notre Dame’s playoff win over Indiana last season — a reminder that some Super Bowl stories unfold over time.
The Tradition Lives On
From Red Mack’s first-ever Super Bowl tackle to Rocky Bleier’s relentless toughness, from Joe Montana’s iconic calm to decades of championship contributions across every position group, Notre Dame football alumni have shaped the Super Bowl in ways both dramatic and enduring.
Across 60 years of Super Bowls, the Fighting Irish have been — and remain — a fixture in championship lore. It’s a testament to a program that doesn’t just produce NFL players, but prepares them for moments that define the game itself.
And as another Super Bowl kicks off, Notre Dame’s story — once again — adds another chapter.
Editor’s Note:
Super Bowl participation totals and championship figures cited in this article reflect widely referenced Notre Dame athletics and NFL historical tallies. Minor variations exist across databases depending on roster classification and active-game participation.