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Notre Dame in the NFL: Brandon Aubrey, Spencer Shrader kick game-winners in Week 2

IMG_7504by: Jack Soble9 hours agojacksoble56
aubrey
Former Notre Dame and current Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey kicks the game-winning field goal on Sunday against the New York Giants. (Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images)

With the Giants leading the Cowboys 37-34, former Notre Dame soccer player Brandon Aubrey lined up for a 64-yard field goal that would send the game to overtime.

Did he make it? What do you think?

Aubrey drilled it. It might have been good from 70. And in overtime, he hit a 46-yard field goal to walk it off.

With his 64-yarder, Aubrey now owns two of the four longest field goals in NFL history (he hit one from 65 yards out in 2024) in just two-plus years of action. The 30-year-old is now 27-of-30 on 50-plus-yard field goals in his career.

He is also, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the first player in NFL history to make a game-tying field goal as the fourth quarter expired and a game-winning field goal with no time left in overtime in the same game.

Earlier in the day, with the Broncos leading the Colts 28-26, former Notre Dame kicker Spencer Shrader lined up for a 45-yard field-goal attempt. Shrader, who bounced around practice squads as a rookie but won the Colts’ job out of training camp, drilled that one, too.

Is Notre Dame Kicker U? Apparently so, even though Aubrey did not actually play football for the Fighting Irish; his wife gave him the idea to try it out while watching someone kick a field goal on TV.

Here’s how every other former Notre Dame football player in the NFL did in Week 2.

Joe Alt (2019-21), OT, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: Monday Night Football (to be updated Tuesday morning)

Aaron Banks (2017-20), G, Green Bay Packers

Result: W, 27-18 over Commanders

Banks missed Week 2 with an ankle injury.

JD Bertrand (2019-23), LB, Atlanta Falcons

Result: W, 22-6 over Vikings

Bertrand played 18 snaps on special teams.

Beaux Collins (2024), WR, New York Giants

Result: L, 40-37 (OT) to Cowboys

Collins played 20 snaps on special teams, making a solo tackle and an assisted tackle on kickoff coverage.

Howard Cross III (2019-24), DT, Cincinnati Bengals

Result: W, 31-27 over Jaguars

Cross was a healthy scratch.

Scott Daly (2012-16), LS, Chicago Bears

cResult: L, 52-21 to Lions

Daly snapped 7 times successfully, 4 on punts and 3 on kicks.

Mitchell Evans (2021-24), TE, Carolina Panthers

Result: L, 27-22 to Cardinals

Evans made his first career reception for 9 yards.

Blake Fisher (2021-23), OT, Houston Texans

Result: MNF (to be updated Tuesday morning)

Alohi Gilman (2017-19), S, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: MNF (to be updated Tuesday morning)

Blake Grupe (2022), K, New Orleans Saints

Result: L, 26-21 to 49ers

Grupe missed his lone field goal attempt from 40 yards out.

Robert Hainsey (2017-20), C, Jacksonville Jaguars

Result: L, 31-27 to Bengals

Hainsey allowed zero quarterback pressures for the second-straight week, earning a 71.9 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Kyle Hamilton (2019-21), S, Baltimore Ravens

Result: W, 41-17 over Browns

Hamilton only allowed 1 reception in coverage, which became a ferocious tackle for loss on a screen pass. He totaled 5 tackles.

Thomas Harper (2023), S, Detroit Lions

Result: W, 52-21 over Bears

Harper was a healthy scratch.

Cam Hart (2019-23), CB, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: MNF (to be updated Tuesday morning)

JJ Jansen (2004-07), LS, Carolina Panthers

Result: L, 27-22 to Cardinals

Jansen snapped 4 times successfully, 2 on punts and 2 on field goals.

Javontae Jean-Baptiste (2023), DE, Washington Commanders

Result: L, 27-18 to Packers

Jean-Baptiste made 2 tackles.

Jack Kiser (2019-24), LB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Result: L, 31-27 to Bengals

Kiser played 15 snaps on special teams.

Cole Kmet (2017-19), TE, Chicago Bears

Result: L, 52-21 to Lions

Kmet caught 2 passes for 29 yards.

Riley Leonard (2024), QB, Indianapolis Colts

Result: W, 29-28 over Broncos

Leonard — the only former Notre Dame quarterback on an active NFL roster — was a healthy scratch with an “emergency third quarterback” designation (meaning he could have played if and only if the two active QBs got hurt).

Marist Liufau (2019-23), LB, Dallas Cowboys

Result: W, 40-37 (OT) over Giants

Liufau played 9 defensive snaps but did not record a stat.

Julian Love (2015-18), S, Seattle Seahawks

Result: W, 31-17 over Steelers

Love was targeted 3 times and allowed 2 receptions for 26 yards. He also made 2 tackles and was credited with a pass breakup.

Michael Mayer (2021-23), TE, Las Vegas Raiders

Result: MNF (to be updated Tuesday morning)

Nick McCloud (2020), CB, Chicago Bears

Result: L, 52-21 to Lions

McCloud allowed 6 receptions on 6 targets for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns, good for a perfect passer rating of 158.3.

Mike McGlinchey (2013-17), OT, Denver Broncos

Result: L, 29-28 to Colts

McGlinchey allowed 1 pressure and finished with a PFF offense grade of 68.2.

Benjamin Morrison (2022-24), CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Result: MNF (to be updated Tuesday morning)

Quenton Nelson (2014-17), G, Indianapolis Colts

Result: W, 29-28 over Broncos

Nelson allowed 2 pressures, including a quarterback hit. He still earned a PFF offense grade of 70.7.

Jarrett Patterson (2018-22), C, Houston Texans

Result: MNF (to be updated Tuesday morning)

Ben Skowronek (2020), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Result: L, 31-17 to Seahawks

Skowronek was not targeted. He did play 18 snaps on special teams, making a tackle.

Harrison Smith (2007-11), S, Minnesota Vikings

Result: L, 22-6 to Falcons

Smith missed his second-straight game with an illness.

Chris Smith (2022), DT, Detroit Lions

Result: W, 52-21 over Bears

Smith was a healthy scratch.

Durham Smythe (2013-17), TE, Chicago Bears

Result: L, 52-21 to Lions

Smythe was not targeted, but he played 17 snaps on special teams.

Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), OT, Baltimore Ravens

Result: W, 41-17 over Browns

Stanley allowed 2 sacks and 5 total pressures, giving him a 50.8 PFF offense grade and a 39.5 mark in pass protection.

Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DT, Kansas City Chiefs

Result: L, 20-17 to Eagles

Tillery made 1 tackle.

Drue Tranquill (2014-18), LB, Kansas City Chiefs

Result: L, 20-17 to Eagles

Tranquill made 6 tackles, including 4 defensive stops (tackles that result in a failure for the offense). He also registered a quarterback hurry.

Tommy Tremble (2018-20), TE, Carolina Panthers

Result: L, 27-22 to Cardinals

Tremble caught 3 passes for 20 yards.

Xavier Watts (2020-24), S, Atlanta Falcons

Result: W, 22-6 over Vikings

Watts, who was undervalued as a third-round pick out of Notre Dame, hauled in what will likely be the first of many interceptions throughout his NFL career.

Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams

Result: W, 33-19 over Titans

Williams rushed 17 times for 66 yards, and he caught 2 passes for 14 yards. The former Notre Dame running back did not score a touchdown for just the eighth time since the start of the 2023 season.

Brock Wright (2017-20), TE, Detroit Lions

Result: W, 52-21 over Bears

Wright caught 3 passes for 28 yards, including this 8-yard touchdown reception.

Former Notre Dame players on NFL practice squads

Former Notre Dame players on injured reserve