Jan. 30, 2015

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Former University of Notre Dame and current New England Patriot teammates Jonas Gray and Darius Fleming hope to continue the long history of success for former Irish players on Super Bowl Sunday. The tandem could become the 40th and 41st former Notre Dame football players to earn Super Bowl titles.

Gray played in eight games at running back, including three starts, in the 2014 regular season. The 2012 Notre Dame graduate rushed for a New England team-best 412 yards and five TDs on 89 carries. Gray also added one reception for seven yards. He exploded onto the scene following a record-setting Sunday night performance in early November against the Indianapolis Colts. Gray rushed for 201 yards and four TDs on 37 carries. The four rushing TDs are a Patriots’ franchise record. Gray also became the fifth back in the Super Bowl era to run for 150 or more yards and four TDs on the road (a list that also includes Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders).

Gray’s path to New England and Super Bowl XLIX wasn’t easy. He battled injuries over each of his first three years at Notre Dame. Gray rebounded and registered a great senior campaign for the Irish. He ran for 791 yards and 12 TDs on just 114 carries (6.9 yards per rush) before suffering a devastating knee injury on Senior Day in November 2011.

Gray went undrafted and spent two and a half years bouncing between the practice squads of the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens before the New England Patriots finally promoted him in October 2014 from their practice squad.

Fleming — also a 2012 Notre Dame graduate — has had an equally challenging road since his Irish football days. A fifth-round NFL draft pick of San Francisco in `12, Fleming never played for the 49ers after ACL tears to his left knee cost him consecutive seasons in 2012 and 2013. Fleming was on the sidelines for San Francisco in Super Bowl XLVII but was on injured reserved.

Fleming eventually signed with the Patriots entering this season and was promoted from the practice squad in November 2014. He played in five regular-season games, predominantly on special teams, and registered six tackles. He made a significant contribution to the Patriots’ AFC Championship Game win over Indianapolis on January 18 when he recovered a muffed punt 12:37 into the game that helped set up New England’s first score of the game.

Notre Dame-Super Bowl Connections

• This Sunday will mark the 16th consecutive year that a Notre Dame alumnus is on at least one of the Super Bowl teams. The current streak is tied with Purdue for the second longest by one school, behind only Nebraska’s 22.
• Of the previous 48 Super Bowls, only 15 teams have won the event without an Irish player on their roster. There have only been five Super Bowls that did not feature at least one former Notre Dame player – Denver vs. Atlanta, 1999; Dallas vs. Buffalo, 1994; Washington vs. Denver, 1988; Dallas vs. Denver, 1978; and Baltimore Colts vs. Dallas, 1971.
• Twenty-nine of the 39 former Notre Dame players to earn Super Bowl rings actually participated in the game, which ranks tied for fifth all-time among Football Bowl Subdivision schools according to STATS LLC. That contingent has combined to capture 44 titles, which ranks third all-time among FBS schools according to STATS.
• Entering Sunday’s game, a Notre Dame player has participated in the Super Bowl on 74 occasions, which ranks tied for fifth all-time among FBS schools according to STATS.
• Super Bowl XLIX will mark the 24th time that one of the teams included multiple former Notre Dame players on its roster. With a Patriots victory, Gray and Fleming would guarantee at least one former Irish player would have appeared on 10 of the last 12 Super Bowl champion rosters.
• On three occasions, the Super Bowl MVP has come from Notre Dame (Joe Montana in Super Bowls XVI, XIX and XXIV). Three MVPs is tied for the most of any college with Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and USC.

Super Bowls That Featured Multiple Former Notre Dame Players On Same Team
Super Bowl XLIX (2015) – New England Patriots (Jonas Gray, Darius Fleming)
Super Bowl XLVII (2013) – San Francisco 49ers (Darius Fleming, Ian Williams)
Super Bowl XLIII (2009) – Arizona Cardinals (Bertrand Berry, Mike Gandy)
Super Bowl XLII (2008) – N.Y. Giants (Jerome Collins, Marcus Freeman, Justin Tuck)
Super Bowl XLI (2007) – Indianapolis Colts (Rocky Boiman, Hunter Smith)
Super Bowl XXXVII (2003) – Oakland Raiders (Rick Mirer, Tim Brown)
Super Bowl XXXVI (2002) – New England Patriots (Mark Edwards, Jabari Holloway, Brock Williams)
Super Bowl XXXV (2001) – N.Y. Giants (Luke Petitgout, Mike Rosenthal, Dusty Zeigler)
Super Bowl XXXII (1998) – Green Bay Packers (Craig Hentrich, Derrick Mayes, Aaron Taylor)
Super Bowl XXXI (1997) – Green Bay Packers (Craig Hentrich, Lindsay Knapp, Derrick Mayes, Aaron Taylor)
Super Bowl XXIX (1995) – San Francisco 49ers (Junior Bryant, Anthony Peterson, Ricky Watters, Bryant Young)
Super Bowl XXIX (1995) – San Diego Chargers (John Carney, Willie Clark, Rodney Culver)
Super Bowl XXV (1991) – N.Y. Giants (Mark Bavaro, Eric Dorsey, Dave Duerson, Tom Rehder)
Super Bowl XXI (1987) – N.Y. Giants (Mark Bavaro, Eric Dorsey)
Super Bowl XX (1986) – Chicago Bears (Dave Duerson, Tom Thayer)
Super Bowl XVI (1982) – San Francisco 49ers (Bobby Leopold, Joe Montana)
Super Bowl XI (1977) – Oakland Raiders (Dave Casper, Steve Sylvester)
Super Bowl X (1976) – Pittsburgh Steelers (Rocky Bleier, Terry Hanratty)
Super Bowl IX (1975) – Pittsburgh Steelers (Rocky Bleier, Terry Hanratty)
Super Bowl VIII (1974) – Miami Dolphins (Nick Buoniconti, Bob Kuechenberg)
Super Bowl VII (1973) – Miami Dolphins (Nick Buoniconti, Bob Kuechenberg)
Super Bowl VI (1972) – Miami Dolphins (Nick Buoniconti, Bob Kuechenberg)
Super Bowl IV (1970) – Minnesota Vikings (Mike McGill, Alan Page)
Super Bowl I (1967) – Green Bay Packers (Paul Hornung, Bill “Red” Mack)

Super Bowls That Featured Former Notre Dame Players On Rosters Of Both Teams
Super Bowl XLVIII (2014) – Seattle (Golden Tate) vs. Denver (David Bruton)
Super Bowl XLVI (2012) – N.Y. Giants (Justin Tuck) vs. New England (Sergio Brown)
Super Bowl XLV (2011) – Green Bay (Ryan Grant) vs. Pittsburgh (Arnaz Battle)
Super Bowl XLII (2008) – N.Y. Giants (Jerome Collins, Marcus Freeman and Justin Tuck) vs. New England (Mike Richardson)
Super Bowl XLI (2007) – Indianapolis (Rocky Boiman and Hunter Smith) vs. Chicago (Mark LeVoir)
Super Bowl XXXIX (2005) – New England (David Givens) vs. Philadelphia (Paul Grasmanis)
Super Bowl XXXIV (2000) – St. Louis (Todd Lyght) vs. Tennessee (Hunter Smith)
Super Bowl XXIX (1995) – San Francisco (Junior Bryant, Anthony Peterson, Ricky Watters and Bryant Young) vs. San Diego (John Carney, Willie Clark and Rodney Culver)
Super Bowl XVIII (1984) – L.A. Raiders (Steve Sylvester) vs. Washington (Joe Theismann)
Super Bowl XVII (1983) – Washington (Joe Theismann) vs. Miami (Bob Kuechenberg)
Super Bowl XVI (1982) – San Francisco (Bobby Leopold and Joe Montana) vs. Cincinnati (Ross Browner)
Super Bowl XIV (1980) – Pittsburgh (Rocky Bleier) vs. L.A. Rams (Mike Fanning)
Super Bowl XI (1977) – Oakland (Dave Casper and Steve Sylvester) vs. Minnesota (Alan Page)
Super Bowl IX (1975) – Pittsburgh (Rocky Bleier and Terry Hanratty) vs. Minnesota (Alan Page)
Super Bowl VIII (1974) – Miami (Nick Buoniconti and Bob Kuechenberg) vs. Minnesota (Alan Page)
Super Bowl VII (1973) – Miami (Nick Buoniconti and Bob Kuechenberg) vs. Washington (Myron Pottios)
Super Bowl IV (1970) – Kansas City (Jim Lynch) vs. Minnesota (Mike McGill and Alan Page)

Most Combined Super Bowl Games Played
1.) USC 94
2.) Miami, Fla. 92
3.) UCLA 79
4.) Penn State 76
5.) Notre Dame 74
Michigan 74
7.) Tennessee 73
8.) Colorado 68
9.) Ohio State 67
10.) Nebraska 66

Most Different Players to Play in a Super Bowl Win
1.) USC 41
2.) Miami, Fla. 32
3.) Penn State 30
Tennessee 30
5.) Notre Dame 29
6.) Michigan 28
7.) Ohio State 26
UCLA 26
9.) Florida State 25
10.) Michigan State 24

Most Combined Super Bowl Wins
1.) USC 56
2.) Miami, Fla. 49
3.) Notre Dame 44
4.) Penn State 43
5.) UCLA 42
6.) Michigan 38
7.) Colorado 37
8.) Tennessee 36
9.) Georgia 34
10.) Ohio State 32

Former Notre Dame Players Year-By-Year On Super Bowl Champions
2014 – Seattle – Golden Tate
2013 – Baltimore Ravens – None
2012 – N.Y. Giants – Justin Tuck
2011 – Green Bay – Ryan Grant
2010 – New Orleans – John Carney
2009 – Pittsburgh – None
2008 – N.Y. Giants – Jerome Collins, Justin Tuck
2007 – Indianapolis – Rocky Boiman, Hunter Smith
2006 – Pittsburgh – Jerome Bettis
2005 – New England – David Givens
2004 – New England – David Givens
2003 – Tampa Bay – None
2002 – New England – Marc Edwards, Brock Williams, Jabari Holloway
2001 – Baltimore Ravens – None
2000 – St. Louis – Todd Lyght
1999 – Denver – None
1998 – Denver – None
1997 – Green Bay – Derrick Mayes, Aaron Taylor, Lindsay Knapp, Craig Hentrich
1996 – Dallas – None
1995 – San Francisco – Ricky Watters, Junior Bryant, Bryant Young, Anthony Peterson
1994 – Dallas – None
1993 – Dallas – Steve Beuerlein
1992 – Washington – None
1991 – N.Y. Giants – Mark Bavaro, Eric Dorsey, Tom Rehder, Dave Duerson
1990 – San Francisco – Joe Montana
1989 – San Francisco – Joe Montana
1988 – Washington – None
1987 – N.Y. Giants – Mark Bavaro, Eric Dorsey
1986 – Chicago – Dave Duerson, Tom Thayer
1985 – San Francisco – Joe Montana
1984 – L.A. Raiders – Steve Sylvester
1983 – Washington – Joe Theismann
1982 – San Francisco – Joe Montana, Bobby Leopold
1981 – Oakland – Steve Sylvester
1980 – Pittsburgh – Rocky Bleier
1979 – Pittsburgh – Rocky Bleier
1978 – Dallas – None
1977 – Oakland – Steve Sylvester, Dave Casper
1976 – Pittsburgh – Rocky Bleier, Terry Hanratty
1975 – Pittsburgh – Rocky Bleier Terry Hanratty
1974 – Miami – Nick Buoniconti, Bob Kuechenberg
1973 – Miami – Nick Buoniconti, Bob Kuechenberg
1972 – Dallas – None
1971 – Baltimore Colts – None
1970 – Kansas City – Jim Lynch
1969 – N.Y. Jets – None
1968 – Green Bay – None
1967 – Green Bay – Paul Hornung, Red Mack

Former Irish Players With Super Bowl Championships
Mark Bavaro – New York Giants – 1987, 1991
Jerome Bettis – Pittsburgh – 2006
Steve Beuerlein – Dallas – 1993
Rocky Bleier – Pittsburgh – 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980
Rocky Boiman – Indianapolis – 2007
Junior Bryant – San Francisco – 1995
Nick Buoniconti – Miami – 1973, 1974
John Carney – New Orleans – 2010
Dave Casper – Oakland – 1977
Jerome Collins – New York Giants – 2008
Eric Dorsey – New York Giants – 1987, 1991
Dave Duerson – Chicago – 1986; New York Giants – 1991
Marc Edwards – New England – 2002
David Givens – New England – 2004, 2005
Ryan Grant – Green Bay – 2011
Terry Hanratty – Pittsburgh – 1975, 1976
Craig Hentrich – Green Bay – 1997
Jabari Holloway – New England – 2002
Paul Hornung – Green Bay – 1967
Lindsay Knapp – Green Bay – 1997
Bob Kuechenberg – Miami – 1973, 1974
Bobby Leopold – San Francisco – 1982
Todd Lyght – St. Louis – 2000
Jim Lynch – Kansas City – 1970
Red Mack – Green Bay – 1967
Derrick Mayes – Green Bay – 1997
Joe Montana – San Francisco – 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990
Anthony Peterson – San Francisco – 1995
Tom Rehder – New York Giants – 1991
Hunter Smith – Indianapolis – 2007
Steve Sylvester – Oakland – 1977, 1981; L.A. Raiders – 1984
Golden Tate – Seattle – 2014
Aaron Taylor – Green Bay – 1997
Tom Thayer – Chicago – 1986
Joe Theismann – Washington – 1983
Justin Tuck – New York Giants – 2008, 2012
Ricky Watters – San Francisco – 1995
Brock Williams – New England – 2002
Bryant Young – San Francisco – 1995

— ND —