Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/145833
Under the Dome Five Questions With … Notre Dame Team Doctor Brian Ratigan Ratigan, who played linebacker for the Irish from 1989‑92, has been a team surgeon for the football program since 2008. file photo Brian Ratigan had six separate operations during his time as a college and professional football player. When his career ended, he decided to jump to the other side of the scalpel and has since landed back in South Bend as Notre Dame's team surgeon. Ratigan played linebacker for the Irish from 198992 and for the Indianapolis Colts from 1993-94. He practiced sports medicine in Philadelphia and Los Angeles before returning to South Bend to work with Notre Dame football in 2008. ▼ Blue & Gold Illustrated: Do you think your experience as a football player gives you a better "bedside manner" when working with athletes? Ratigan: "Absolutely, I really think what I bring to the table is a nice quality. You don't like to toot your own horn, but my skill set is unique to football. … I understand exactly how they feel and I understand it from all levels. "I think I have a nice way of relating with the guys. I think they respect that. They understand that I'm there for them. I'm not there for just getting them on the field for the coaches." Blue & Gold Illustrated: A lot of players had shoulder surgery in the past year. Is that a coincidence or is there a reason for that injury? Ratigan: "It's just the nature of the game. The game itself is pretty high collision. The athletes are so much faster and stronger than when I played. Click here to listen to Blue & Gold Illustrated's complete interview with Ratigan.