When Brian Ratigan first arrived at the University of Notre Dame in August of 1989, he felt like a tiny fish in a very big, very talented pond. Just months earlier, he had been one of the most celebrated high school athletes in the country — the Gatorade Player of the Year in Iowa, a four-sport All-State standout, and the No. 5-ranked athlete in the nation by SuperPrep. He graduated from St. Albert’s High School in Council Bluffs with a near-perfect 3.97 GPA and offers from powerhouse programs across
the country. But when he set foot in South Bend, he found himself surrounded by All-Americans, national champions, and future NFL players.
“It was humbling,” Ratigan remembers. “You come from being the big fish at home, and suddenly you’re just trying to keep up. But that’s the beauty of Notre Dame—it makes you better in every way.”
A Scholar, an Athlete, and a Dreamer
Ratigan’s story begins in a close-knit Catholic community where Notre Dame wasn’t just a school — it was almost mythical. Yet, even in that environment, he never imagined himself actually playing football for the Irish. That all changed one summer when someone suggested he attend Notre Dame’s football camp. He went, ran a 4.56 forty-yard dash, and before he even left campus, he had an offer in hand.
“I had letters from everywhere—Stanford, Nebraska, USC—but Notre Dame was different,” he said. “It was the perfect fit: academics, football, and faith.”
That “perfect fit,” however, almost didn’t happen. During his senior year, Ratigan nearly lost his scholarship after failing to formally commit during a recruiting weekend. “I didn’t realize how the process worked,” he laughed. “Coach Alvarez called and told me they had already given my scholarship away. My heart sank. But the next morning, he was at my house with the offer in hand again. I learned a big lesson that day—always stay aware of what’s going on!”
Baptism by Fire
When Ratigan reported to campus, the adjustment hit hard. The academics were brutal, the practices intense, and the expectations sky-high. Notre Dame had just won the national championship the year before, and anything short of perfection was unacceptable.
“I’d been a straight-A student my whole life, but my first semester, I didn’t even crack a 3.0,” he said. “And that was the highest GPA among the freshman football players.”
Still, Ratigan thrived in the chaos. Under the watchful eye of Lou Holtz and defensive coordinator Rick Minter, he learned the value of discipline, detail, and perseverance. He also learned that the Notre Dame experience wasn’t just about football—it was about discovering who you were meant to become.
“I started out thinking I wanted to be a doctor, but I didn’t know how to make that work with football,” he said. “Dean Emil Hofman sat me down and told me to take it one step at a time. He said, ‘Get your feet under you first, then chase the next dream.’ That advice stuck with me.”
Ratigan eventually earned his degree in Marketing, inspired by one of his professors, Dr. Murphy, whose passion for teaching made business come alive. But that pull toward medicine never went away. After his time in the NFL with the Colts and Chiefs, he traded in his helmet for a white coat, went to medical school, and—full circle—returned to Notre Dame as the Orthopedic Surgeon for the very team he once played for.
The Game He’ll Never Forget
Ask Brian Ratigan about his favorite game, and his face lights up. It wasn’t the snow-covered thriller against Penn State (though he recovered the fumble that made Reggie Brooks’ legendary catch possible). It wasn’t the interception he made against Michigan’s Elvis Grbac, either. It was the 1992 matchup against Boston College—the renewal of what many call “The Catholic Rivalry.”
“Our senior year was the first time Notre Dame had played Boston College in quite some time,” Ratigan said. “It was personal. It was prideful. It was Catholic school versus Catholic school. That week, Coach Minter simplified the defensive playbook and told us our goal was to shut down their tight end—one of the best in the country who had been catching 10 to 12 balls a game.”
Ratigan’s job was to line up in the nickelback position and neutralize that threat. And he did.
“That tight end didn’t catch a single pass all day,” he said, smiling. “We won 54–7, and afterward the team awarded me the game ball. The stats didn’t tell the story, but my teammates knew. I had done my job, and that meant everything.”
For Ratigan, it wasn’t about headlines or highlights. It was about contribution—being part of something greater than yourself. “That’s Notre Dame,” he said simply. “You do your job, you lift each other up, and you play for the guy next to you.”
From the Gridiron to the Operating Room
Today, Dr. Brian Ratigan embodies the same traits that defined him as a player—focus, resilience, and service. As an orthopedic surgeon for Notre Dame football, he now helps student-athletes through the very struggles he once faced, both physically and mentally.
“Every time I walk through the tunnel into Notre Dame Stadium, I get chills,” he said. “It reminds me where I came from and how far the journey’s taken me. To be able to help these young men chase their dreams the way I once did—that’s the greatest gift of all.”
His story is the embodiment of the Notre Dame Value Stream: that invisible current that pulls each member of the Irish family toward purpose, faith, and a life of meaning—often in ways they never expected.
“Notre Dame doesn’t just prepare you for a career,” Ratigan reflected. “It prepares you for life. It challenges you, humbles you, and then sends you back into the world to serve.”
The Catholic Rivalry Lives On
This weekend, as the Irish once again line up against Boston College, the echoes of that 1992 victory still resonate. The “Catholic Rivalry” has always been about more than football—it’s about tradition, respect, and two programs rooted in shared faith and fierce competition.
For Notre Dame fans, it’s also a reminder of players like Brian Ratigan—those who gave everything on the field and carried that spirit into the rest of their lives.
So as the Irish prepare to take on BC, remember the linebacker from Council Bluffs who once shut down the Eagles’ top receiver, earned the game ball, and years later returned home to care for the next generation of Irish athletes.
The story of Dr. Brian Ratigan is proof that the lessons learned under the Golden Dome last far beyond four years—they last a lifetime.
Go Irish ☘️ Beat BC!
If you’d like to read more of Brian Ratigan’s incredible journey—from football star to orthopedic surgeon for the Notre Dame team—you can find his full story in my second book, More Echoes from the End Zone: The Men We Became
Cheers!
