Countdown to kickoff: Notre Dame vs. Ohio State only 83 days away
To preview one of the most anticipated games for Notre Dame this century and the official start of the Marcus Freeman era, BlueandGold.com is counting down the days to the matchup against Ohio State on Sept. 3.
This daily series of 99 stories celebrates by the numbers some of the most notable names, dates, moments and memories related to the past and present of Notre Dame football.
Today, we look at No. 83 and the inspiration that two-year Steelers wideout and former Irish star receiver Chase Claypool will forever draw from his late sister, Ashley.
Claypool wore the 83 Irish jersey from 2016-19.
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A lost soulmate
Tattooed in cursive lettering around his bulging right biceps, Claypool wears a permanent and painful reminder of a life cut too short.
“A thousand tears won’t bring you back, I know because I’ve cried. Neither will a thousand words, I know because I’ve tried. Until we meet again.”
Claypool lost his older sister of two years about nine years ago to suicide while Ashley was still in high school.
“Just the idea of her looking down on me is motivation in itself,” Claypool told BlueandGold.com in 2019 while a senior at Notre Dame.
If any good could come from such an unthinkable tragedy, Claypool said the loss of his sister pulled him closer to his mother and also brought some extra appreciation and commitment to his athletic and academic responsibilities.
“I always try to use Ashley’s loss as motivation,” Claypool shared, “trying to make her proud.”
The next chapter
A multi-sport star at Abbotsford High School in British Columbia, Canada, Claypool held other options beyond football for his college course.
A star basketball player with the Falcons, Claypool averaged 48 points a game as a senior and scored 51 points the night before he committed to Notre Dame.
But mainly through curiosity and some family nudging, Claypool decided to trade sneakers for cleats and give football a try.
A quick study, Claypool averaged 25.4 yards on his 58 receptions and scored 18 touchdowns as a high school senior. He also rushed for 567 yards, threw three touchdown passes and scored on two of his four punt returns. Defensively, Claypool recorded 74 tackles and five interceptions.
Football matters
After waiting his turn as a sophomore and junior at Notre Dame, Claypool had a breakout senior year with the Irish in 2019.
Claypool — one of only eight Canadian players to ever suit up at Notre Dame — recorded 66 catches for 1,037 yards with 13 touchdowns that year and became a second-round draft pick (49th overall) of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020.
Now a rising NFL star, Claypool made 121 receptions, for 1,733 yards and 11 touchdowns while becoming a fan favorite in his first two seasons with the Steelers.
“Not letting my mom down and not letting my sister down is the driving reason I go out and give me all every day,” Claypool said of turning his personal tragedy into professional triumph.
