Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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52 NOV. 29, 2025 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY TODD D. BURLAGE A sk anyone in his large family what career path former Irish offensive lineman Mike McGlinchey seemed des- tined to take, even as a youngster, and the consensus seems to be that it had to have something to do with football. McGlinchey is one of six children and the first cousin of former Falcons and Colts quarterback Matt Ryan, so foot- ball roots ran deeply in his immediate and extended family, as did the God- given gifts that were obvious early on. "Mike was a massive kid as a young toddler," Ryan recalled in a story for the Denver Gazette. "You're looking at him and you're like, 'I think this guy was put on this earth to play offensive line or defensive line in the NFL.' We knew right from the start that's the path Mike would take." High praise indeed from a 15-year NFL veteran, and McGlinchey's respect for his older cousin runs just as deeply. "Matt [Ryan] was one of the biggest resources I ever had, whether he knew it or not," said McGlinchey, who's nine years younger than Ryan. "He was al- ways a shining example of how to be, how to act and how to be professional." A Philadelphia native from a big Catholic family, McGlinchey made a natural progression from all-everything athlete at William Penn Charter High School to 2017 consensus All-American at Notre Dame. "The passion that I have for the game of football is because I'm a Philadel- phian," he said. McGlinchey played five seasons with the Irish and became a first-round draft pick (No. 9 overall) of the San Francisco 49ers in 2018, where he spent the first five years of his professional career. A production slippage because of in- juries led to a move out of San Francisco and onto the Denver Broncos in 2023. And the relationship forged through relocation has blossomed since, with McGlinchey becoming the cornerstone of a Broncos line that has played as well as any in the NFL this season. After a 1-2 start, Denver rolled to eight straight wins through Nov. 16, to take a commanding lead in the AFC West standings at 9-2. Denver's victories include a 22-19 win over the division rival Kansas City Chiefs Nov. 16, a 44-24 rout of the Dal- las Cowboys Oct. 26, when McGlinchey helped the Broncos to a season high in points and yardage (426), and a 21-17 road win over the Super Bowl cham- pion Philadelphia Eagles Oct. 5, in what was sort of a homecoming game for Mc- Glinchey. "That will go down as one of the most memorable regular-season wins of my career," McGlinchey shared after the game. "It was a helluva day." Much of the Broncos' success stems this season from the job Denver's line is doing protecting second-year quarter- back Bo Nix, one of the brightest young stars in the game. "He's the leader of this team," Mc- Glinchey said of Nix and the six come- back wins he had led through 11 games. "He's as clutch as they come." From Philly to South Bend to San Francisco to Denver — and even to Lon- don for a game and a 13-11 win over the New York Jets Oct. 12 — McGlinchey's career path has taken him all over the world, and he's loving every mile and minute of it. "Football has been the greatest gift that my life has ever received," he said. "And cool experiences are definitely part of the deal." ✦ FIGHTING IRISH HEADLINERS Pat Connaughton (Played at Notre Dame from 2011-15), SG, Charlotte Hornets, NBA The Arlington, Mass., native enjoyed the best game of the season with his new team when he tallied 11 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in a 111-100 win Nov. 12 over the Milwaukee Bucks, Connaughton's former team. The 2015 second-round draft pick connected on 4 of 6 shots in the game, including 2 of 4 three-pointers in only 11 minutes. Coming off the bench, Connaughton was averaging 3.8 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists through Nov. 17. Kyle Hamilton (2019-21), S, Baltimore Ravens, NFL The Atlanta product tied his season high with 9 tackles (6 solo), and added 1 sack — his first of the season — 1 forced fumble and 2 passes defended in a 23-16 win over the Cleveland Browns Nov. 16. For the season, the 2022 first-round draft pick was third on the Ravens with 59 tackles, second with 6 passes defended and first with 2 forced fumbles. Cole Kmet (2017-19), TE, Chicago Bears, NFL The Barrington, Ill., native recorded a season-high 5 catches on 5 targets for 45 yards in a 19-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings Nov. 16. Kmet's catch and receiv- ing yardage totals both led the Bears in the victory. It marked only the third time through nine games this season that the 2020 second-round draft pick had caught multiple passes. For the season through last weekend, the six-year NFL veteran had 16 catches on 28 targets for 192 yards with 1 touchdown. New Home Bringing Great Success For Lineman Mike McGlinchey I R I S H I N T H E P R O S McGlinchey was a first-round draft pick (No. 9 overall) of the San Francisco 49ers in 2018, and he now is thriving for the Denver Broncos. PHOTO COURTESY DENVER BRONCOS