ESPN shares strange statistic about Notre Dame quarterbacks in NFL

ESPN’s stats department shared a strange statistic about Notre Dame quarterbacks in the NFL and their struggles over the decade. The last Notre Dame quarterback to win an NFL game was Brady Quinn when he played for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012.

With Ian Book’s loss as starter for the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night, Notre Dame quarterbacks have lost 24 straight starts in the NFL.

Notre Dame quarterbacks having rough stretch in NFL

In a stat that spans several different quarterbacks to enter the NFL from Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish hasn’t had a quarterback dominate at the professional level in a while. Brady Quinn recorded the last starting win for his alma mater in Week 13 of the 2012 NFL season against the Carolina Panthers.

The game that Quinn won against the Panthers was one to remember for the former Notre Dame star however. The game was played one day after the murder-suicide of Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher. In an emotional day and win, Quinn’s performance earned him AFC offensive player of the week honors.

After the game, Quinn made news with his touching and thoughtful comments on the tragedy that affected so many in the NFL.

Following his win over the Panthers, Quinn would lose his next four starts in the NFL, beginning the current streak of losses by Notre Dame quarterbacks.

Jimmy Clausen continued the streak in 2014 and 2015, starting and losing four games for the Bears and Ravens. DeShone Kizer then extended the streak greatly by going 0-15 as starter for the Browns in 2017.

Of all Fighting Irish quarterbacks since Quinn, Ian Book is the only remaining current NFL player that can change the current streak for his fellow alumni. New Orleans selected Book in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, intending for him to develop behind Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian.

On Monday, Book got the starting call as Hill and Siemian were placed on the COVID list and Winston is out for the season with a knee injury. Book threw for 135 yards and had two interceptions in the Saints 20-3 loss to the Dolphins.

Although he was forced into action earlier than the Saints had hoped for, Book struggled in his first career start. On his second pass of the game, the Dolphins intercepted it for a touchdown.