Sept. 12, 2000
The University of Notre Dame has 37 of its former football players participating in the National Football League in 2000, according to figures released by the league based on opening-day active rosters.
The Irish led all Division I schools in that category five straight years from 1995 through ’99.
Notre Dame ranked second in players on 2000 opening-day rosters — with Florida State leading the way (38), followed by Notre Dame (37), Ohio State (35), Florida and Miami (34 each), Penn State (32), Michigan and USC (31 each) and Nebraska, North Carolina and Texas A&M (30 each).
Here are the former Fighting Irish now active in the pros (R indicates rookie):
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | QB Steve Beuerlein | |
| DB Deveron Harper (R) | ||
| LB Kory Minor | ||
| CHICAGO BEARS | DT Jim Flanigan | |
| OT Jerry Wisne | ||
| DB Shawn Wooden | ||
| CINCINNATI BENGALS | DB Tom Carter | |
| DT Oliver Gibson | ||
| CLEVELAND BROWNS | RB Marc Edwards | |
| DALLAS COWBOYS | WR Raghib Ismail | |
| DENVER BRONCOS | QB Jarious Jackson (R) | |
| DETROIT LIONS | LB Scott Kowalkowski | |
| GREEN BAY PACKERS | DB Allen Rossum | |
| INDIANAPOLIS COLTS | DB Jeff Burris | |
| P Hunter Smith | ||
| JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | DE Renaldo Wynn | |
| KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | C Tim Grunhard | |
| MIAMI DOLPHINS | C Tim Ruddy | |
| RB Autry Denson | ||
| NEW YORK GIANTS | OT Luke Petitgout | |
| OG Mike Rosenthal | ||
| C Dusty Zeigler | ||
| OAKLAND RAIDERS | WR Tim Brown | |
| PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | QB Ron Powlus | |
| DT Paul Grasmanis | ||
| DB Bobby Taylor | ||
| PITTSBURGH STEELERS | RB Jerome Bettis | |
| WR Malcolm Johnson | ||
| ST. LOUIS RAMS | DB Todd Lyght | |
| SAN DIEGO CHARGERS | K John Carney | |
| SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | DE Junior Bryant | |
| QB Rick Mirer | ||
| DT Bryant Young | ||
| SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | WR Derrick Mayes | |
| RB Ricky Watters | ||
| TENNESSEE TITANS | P Craig Hentrich | |
| WASHINGTON REDSKINS | OT Andy Heck |
In addition, signed to NFL practice squads were Brad Williams (Chicago Bears), Mike Doughty (Cincinnati Bengals) and Bobby Brown (Cleveland Browns).