Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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52 NOV. 15, 2025 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY TODD D. BURLAGE T rade rumors, injury recovery, whis- pers of a franchise rebuild and a pos- sible youth movement … this preseason couldn't have been more tumultuous for 12-year NHL veteran and former Irish star winger Bryan Rust. A career-long member of the Pitts- burgh Penguins since he was drafted by the franchise out of Notre Dame in 2010, Rust ignored the noise, recovered quicker than expected from a lower- body injury, and is back on the ice and back to his usual form. After missing most of the preseason and the first two games of this regu- lar season, Rust returned and scored 4 goals with 7 assists in his first 12 games for the surging Penguins, who began the season 8-4-2. Original projections didn't have Rust returning from the injured reserve list until at least Oct. 16. Instead, he was skating with the team at practice Oct. 8, and telling reporters they would have to "wait and see" if there was an acceler- ated return in place. "We'll continue to evaluate, that's where we're at right now," Penguins head coach Dan Muse said of potentially playing Rust about a week earlier than expected. "Practicing with the team is a good step." Indeed it was for the popular 33-year- old, who through Nov. 4 ranked ninth all-time in Penguins history in goals (207) and games (650), and was 12th all time in total points (448). A project player out of Notre Dame, the Pontiac, Mich., native has trans- formed himself from being a third-line afterthought to an elite NHL performer. And in a recent interview with The Ath- letic, Rust said he hopes to finish his career in the Steel City. "For me, personally, it's just about the organization," said Rust, who won back- to-back Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017. "This is the organiza- tion that gave me a chance. They took a chance on me a long time ago. "A lot of people thought I was never going to develop into a NHL player, but they took that chance on me and they stood by me for a long time." Rust is in the fourth year of a six-year deal worth $30.75 million. INJURY MATTERS The Los Angeles Chargers and the Seattle Seahawks both received bad in- jury news last week regarding a couple of former Notre Dame stars and two of their best players. The worst news came Nov. 2, when the Chargers lost starting left tackle Joe Alt for the season with an ankle injury in their game against the Tennessee Titans. It's a tough break for the 2024 first-round draft pick whom Pro Foot- ball Focus ranked No. 7 among all of- fensive tackles in pass blocking (82.3) and ninth overall (79.0). The Seahawks' bad news came Nov. 1, when star safety Julian Love was placed on injured reserve. He will miss at least four more games. The 2019 fourth-round draft pick was expected to return to the team Nov. 2, from a hamstring injury that had already sidelined him for four games. But a recovery setback landed Love back on the shelf for at least another month. ✦ FIGHTING IRISH HEADLINERS Harrison Smith, (Played at Notre Dame from 2007-11), S, Minnesota Vikings, NFL In what's been an injury-filled season, the former 2012 first-round draft pick re- corded 3 tackles, 1 pass defended and 1 fumble recovery — his first of the season — in a 27-24 win over the division rival Detroit Lions Nov. 2. In six games played this season, the 14-year veteran, six-time Pro Bowl selection and future Hall of Fame candidate had 24 tackles with 3 passes defended. Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), OT, Baltimore Ravens, NFL The 10-year NFL veteran helped pave the way for 150 rushing yards in a 28-6 win over the Dolphins Oct. 30. The Las Vegas native, a 2016 first-round draft pick and a two-time Pro Bowler, helped spring Ravens tailback Derrick Henry to 119 rushing yards and 6.3 yards per carry, his third 100-yard rushing game this season. Through nine weeks of the NFL season, the Ravens ranked sixth at 135.5 rushing yards per game. Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams, NFL The former 2022 fifth-round draft pick rushed for 114 yards, 4.6 yards per carry and 1 touchdown in a 34-10 win over the New Orleans Saints Nov. 2. This surpris- ingly marked the first time this season that Williams eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark. Through eight games this year, the St. Louis native had 586 rushing yards with 3 touchdowns, and added 166 receiving yards with another 3 touchdowns. Penguins Veteran Bryan Rust Showing No Rust Upon Return IRISH IN THE PROS Rust ranked ninth all time in Pittsburgh Penguins history in goals (207) and games (650), and was 12th all time in total points (448), through Nov. 4. PHOTO COURTESY PITTSBURGH PENGUINS