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Notre Dame

For love of Grandpa — and the game: The Elmer Layden family’s Hall of Fame mission

Eric Hansenby: Eric Hansen10/03/25EHansenND
Elmer Layden's grandchildren, Jim Lefebrve
Former Notre Dame coach Elmer Layden's grandchildren visit with Notre Dame football historian Jim Lefebrve ahead of the ND-Texas A&M game on Sept. 13. From left are Patricia Mullin, Lefebvre, Mike Jones, Jo-an Canning and Ed Jones.

Elmer Layden’s humility left his grandchildren to piece together his extraordinary legacy — Notre Dame star, Four Horseman, Irish head coach, and the NFL’s first commissioner. Now the Jones family is on a mission to right a long-standing oversight and see their grandfather enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.