Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 24, 2022 51 IRISH IN THE PROS The Bears signed St. Brown to a one- year $965,000 contract in March, and the investment paid quick dividends in what turned out to be 1 of only 8 pass completions from Fields in a monsoon. A sixth-round draft pick of the Packers in 2018, St. Brown recorded 92 recep- tions for 1,484 yards and 13 touchdowns with the Irish from 2015-17. His best sea- son at Notre Dame came as a sophomore in 2016 when he notched 58 receptions for 961 yards with 9 touchdowns. St. Brown recorded 37 catches for 543 yards and 1 touchdown during four sea- sons with the Packers. He missed all of 2019 because of injury. Notably, St. Brown scored his first touchdown of this season less than three minutes after his younger brother, Amon-Ra St. Brown, recorded his first score of the year on a touchdown catch with the Detroit Lions. RIGHTFULLY RESPECTED If there is any player in the NFL that deserves any success, highlights and ac- colades that come his way, it's former Irish captain Drue Tranquill. An all-purpose, no-nonsense, lead- by-words-and-example standout Irish defender from 2014-18, Tranquill has overcome three career-threatening in- juries and become a valuable linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers. Playing in his 31st game over four NFL seasons in the Chargers' season opener Sept. 11, Tranquill recorded his first ca- reer interception and returned it 20 yards in a 24-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Along with his interception, Tranquill had 6 tackles and a pass deflection. Week to week, any tackle, intercep- tion or deflection remains remarkable for Tranquill, given what this selfless player has worked through during his football career. In a nutshell, the Notre Dame mechanical engineering graduate suffered two separate knee injuries while at Notre Dame, which should've marked the end of his football career then. Nope, the hybrid safety/linebacker never complained, went to work, recov- ered from both injuries and each time came back a stronger and better player. "Going through it more than once, I think you learn how to best do the rehab," Tranquill said. "I had a process not only physically but mentally, and sometimes that's the hardest part to coming back." That theory was put to the test again in the first game in 2020 as a second-year player with the Chargers when Tranquill — a fourth-round 2019 draft pick — suf- fered a gruesome ankle injury that few thought he would ever fully recover from. Nope, Tranquill missed the rest of the 2020 season but returned in 2021 and recorded 70 stops, 5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Forever humble, always thankful and admired for his perspective, Tranquill after his interception posted this tribute to Pat Tillman on his Twitter account, on 9/11, fittingly. Tillman was a former Arizona Cardi- nals safety and a Purple Heart recipient, who left his NFL career behind to fight the war in Afghanistan, and lost his life there in 2004 at age 27. "I want to dedicate my first career @ NFL interception to the great American hero Pat Tillman — walking out of the tunnel that night for my first NFL game, I looked up to the @AZCardinals ring of honor and was reminded that it's more than football. I admire and look up to you Pat." ✦ ACCOMMODATIONS Call 877-630-8768 to advertise in Blue & Gold Illustrated! MEMORABILIA NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL GAMES on VHS or DVD for sale, from 1928 to present. Contact Peter Rahas at 7700 Golden Filly St., Las Vegas, NV 89131 or call 1-702-395-2974 Notre Dame Game Football Weekend Available 2 nights ON Campus! Price Includes: Game Ticket, Parking for the weekend, Bed at Sacred Heart Parish Hall on campus, Stanford – $525 each October 14, 15, 16, 2022 Proceeds benefit the Student Scholarship Fund, South Jersey Notre Dame Club E-mail bill.burns.68@alumni.nd.edu Or call Bill Burns 609-368-1962 The "Rockne" B&B Newly renovated rental home available for all events in the Notre Dame/South Bend area. Often called "The Rockne House," it is located on Rockne Drive, just 1.1 miles from ND stadium. The home features a Notre Dame museum-like atmosphere, from vintage Rockne to present day items. Three bedrooms, sleeps 10-12 with two full baths. CONTACT AUGIE'S LOCKER ROOM 574-277-NDND (6363) kyleaugustine1@icloud.com M A R K E T P L A C E IRISH IN THE NFL: WEEK 1 HIGHLIGHTS • Aaron Banks (Played at Notre Dame from 2017-20), OG, San Francisco 49ers: Made his first career start at left guard in the 49ers' 19‑10 loss at Chicago. • Chase Claypool (2016-19), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: Started, caught 4 passes for 18 yards and rushed 6 times for 36 yards in Pittsburgh's 23‑20 overtime win at Cincinnati. • Robert Hainsey (2017-20), OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Logged his first career start at center in the Bucs' 19‑3 win at Dallas. • Harrison Smith (2007-11), S, Minnesota Vi- kings: Started, recorded 7 tackles and an inter‑ ception in the Vikings' 23‑7 win over Green Bay. Drue Tranquill recorded the first interception of his NFL career in the Los Angeles Chargers' season-opening 24-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders Sept. 11. PHOTO COURTESY LOS ANGELES CHARGERS