There is another bus heading to Notre Dame.
Jerome Bettis Jr., the son of former Notre Dame and longtime NFL running back Jerome Bettis, committed to the school on Sunday.
The younger Bettis is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound wide receiver who played at Woodward Academy in Georgia.
He said he chose the Fighting Irish over schools like Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Duke.
In doing so, Bettis Jr. drew comparisons to the Pro Football Hall of Famer who played at Notre Dame from 1990 to 1992, was a six-time Pro Bowler, and spent most of his 13-year career with the Steelers. I am aware that I am inviting you. He retired after Pittsburgh won Super Bowl XL.
“They made sure pretty early on that they hired me for me and not my dad,” Bettis Jr. said. According to ESPN. “They wanted me to know that they want Jerome Bettis Jr. to Notre Dame not just for me and what’s attached to my name, but for what he can bring. That was very important to me because I didn’t know how they looked at me and my dad and the whole situation, so they made me feel safe. It was really big.”
Unlike his father, Bettis Jr. no longer plays as a running back.
He transitioned from that position to wide receiver in the seventh grade, and a year later changed from No. 36, which Bettis Sr. wore in the NFL, to No. 4, further distancing himself from his father’s Hall of Fame legacy.
“One of the biggest things was changing my number. So I was able to actually separate my number from his. It meant, at the end of the day, I’m my own man. “It was a big step towards understanding that,” Bettis Jr. said. ESPN. “I love my dad and everything that comes with being a dad, but at the same time I create my own legacy and my own journey.”
Bettis Sr. was excited about his decision to follow him to South Bend, Indiana, his son said.
“I weighed the pros and cons and took it to my dad and asked him what he thought about it and what he thought about my decision,” Bettis Jr. said. “First of all, he wanted to make sure I was completely sure, but then he was so happy. His first reaction and the joy I saw on his face, it made me It was something very special for me to witness.”
