Notre Dame in the NFL: Spencer Shrader wins it for the Chiefs

On Nov. 14, former Notre Dame kicker Spencer Shrader joined his third team of his rookie season when the Kansas City Chiefs signed him off the New York Jets’ practice squad. This past Sunday, he made them happy they did.

Shrader made all 3 of his field-goal attempts with a long of 41, including a 31-yard field goal to win the game in the final seconds as the Chiefs beat the Carolina Panthers 30-27.

CHIEFS WIN ON A LAST-SECOND FIELD GOAL!#KCvsCAR pic.twitter.com/OHMwGqbm4G

— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024

The Chiefs need a kicker after a multi-week injury to Harrison Butker, so they turned to the Notre Dame and South Florida product. Shrader started his career with the Indianapolis Colts before heading to the Jets and now the Chiefs.

However, Shrader’s Week 13 is in doubt. He missed Tuesday’s practice with a hamstring injury and the Chiefs signed free-agent kicker Matthew Wright to their practice squad in response.

Here’s how every other former Notre Dame athlete in the NFL did in Week 12.

Joe Alt (played at Notre Dame from 2021-23), OL, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: 30-23 loss to Ravens

Alt allowed 1 quarterback pressure and earned a 71.9 PFF offense grade.

Brandon Aubrey (2013-16), K, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 34-26 win over Commanders

Aubrey missed 2 field-goal attempts in a game for the first time in his career, but he also made 2 field goals with a long of 47.

Aaron Banks (2017-20), OL, San Francisco 49ers

Result: 38-10 loss to Packers

Banks allowed 2 quarterback hits and finished with a 58.9 offense grade.

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

Result: BYE

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

Result: 30-27 OT loss to Vikings

Daly snapped 10 times, 6 on punts and 4 on kicks.

Sheldon Day (2012-15), DT, Washington Commanders

Result: 34-26 loss to Cowboys

Day made 5 tackles, including 2 defensive stops (tackles that resulted in a failure for the offense).

Liam Eichenberg (2016-20), OL, Miami Dolphins

Result: 34-15 win over Patriots

Eichenberg allowed 3 pressures but did well in the run game, posting a 70.1 run-blocking grade.

Audric Estimé (2021-23), RB, Denver Broncos

Result: 29-19 win over Raiders

Estimé rushed 3 times for 15 yards.

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

Result: 32-27 loss to Titans

Fisher missed his second-straight game with a concussion.

Isaiah Foskey (2019-22), DE, New Orleans Saints

Result: BYE

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

Result: 30-23 loss to Ravens

Gilman defended a pass, but he also left the game with an apparent injury in the fourth quarter.

Blake Grupe (2022), K, New Orleans Saints

Result: BYE

Robert Hainsey (2017-20), OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Result: 30-7 win over Giants

Hainsey played 2 offensive snaps and 5 on special teams.

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

Result: 30-23 win over Chargers

Hamilton made 3 tackles, including a tackle for loss.

Thomas Harper (2023), DB, Las Vegas Raiders

Result: 29-19 loss to Broncos

Harper made his first career start, and he finished with 3 tackles.

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

Result: 30-23 loss to Ravens

Hart (concussion/ankle) missed Week 12.

Kurt Hinish (2017-21), DT, Houston Texans

Result: 32-27 loss to Titans

Hinish picked up a quarterback pressure.

J.J. Jansen (2004-07), LS, Carolina Panthers

Result: 30-27 loss to Chiefs

Jansen snapped 7 times, 2 on punts and 5 on field goals.

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

Result: 34-26 loss to Cowboys

Jean-Baptiste returned from injured reserve and made 2 tackles.

Brandon Joseph (2022), S, Detroit Lions

Result: 24-6 win over Colts

Joseph played 6 snaps on special teams.

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

Result: 30-27 OT loss to Vikings

Kmet caught 7 passes on 10 targets for 64 yards. Not by coincidence, the Bears scored their third-highest point total of the season (he had 57 and 70 yards, respectively, in the highest two).

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

Result: 34-26 win over Commanders

Liufau made 1 tackle.

Julian Love (2016-18), DB, Seattle Seahawks

Result: 16-6 win over Cardinals

Love made 2 tackles and broke up 2 passes.

Zack Martin (2009-13), OL, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 34-26 win over Commanders

Martin missed Week 12 with ankle and shoulder injuries.

Michael Mayer (2020-22), TE, Las Vegas Raiders

Result: 29-19 loss to Broncos

Mayer caught 2 passes for 11 yards.

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

Result: 29-19 win over Raiders

McGlinchey allowed 3 pressures but earned a 76.2 run-blocking grade.

Sam Mustipher (2014-18), OL, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: 30-23 loss to Ravens

Mustipher played 5 snaps on special teams.

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

Result: 24-6 loss to Lions

Nelson struggled for the first time this season, allowing 4 pressures and finishing with a 36.9 PFF offense grade.

Julian Okwara (2016-19), EDGE, Arizona Cardinals

Result: 16-6 loss to Seahawks

Okwara was a healthy scratch.

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

Result: 32-27 loss to Titans

Patterson allowed 1 pressure but finished with a 47.8 PFF offense grade.

Ben Skowronek (2020), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Result: 24-19 loss to Browns

Skowronek played 2 snaps on offense and 12 on special teams, where he made 1 tackle.

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

Result: 30-27 OT win over Bears

Smith made 11 tackles and picked up a quarterback pressure.

Durham Smythe (2013-17), TE, Miami Dolphins

Result: 34-15 win over Patriots

Smythe caught his lone target for 8 yards.

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

Result: 30-23 win over Chargers

Stanley allowed 3 pressures but earned a 76.0 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DL, Minnesota Vikings

Result: 30-27 OT win over Bears

Tillery made 2 tackles, and he also blocked a field goal.

Vikings block the field goal 🙅‍♂️

📺: #MINvsCHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/iipT5wPdDc

— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024

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

Result: 30-27 win over Panthers

Tranquill made 4 tackles and tallied a quarterback pressure.

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

Result: 30-27 loss to Chiefs

Tremble caught 1 pass on 2 targets for 5 yards.

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

Result: 37-20 loss to Eagles

Williams carried 16 times for 72 yards and a touchdown, breaking his three-game streak without reaching the end zone.

This is part of what makes Rams RB Kyren Williams so good in short-yardage situations.

Lowers his head and keeps his feet moving. Nothing special from a blocking perspective. Just pure will from Kyren to get in the end zone. pic.twitter.com/8DHRYI7jyx

— Blaine Grisak 💭 (@bgrisakTST) November 26, 2024

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

Result: 24-6 win over Colts

Wright caught 2 passes for 24 yards.

Former Notre Dame football players on injured reserve

• Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (2017-20), LB, Browns

Former Notre Dame players on NFL practice squads

• Kevin Austin Jr. (2018-21), WR, New Orleans Saints
• Miles Boykin (2015-18), WR, Seattle Seahawks
• Sam Hartman (2023), QB, Washington Commanders
• Khalid Kareem (2016-19), DE, Atlanta Falcons
• Nick McCloud (2020), CB, San Francisco 49ers
• Ade Ogundeji (2016-20), EDGE, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Chris Smith (2022), DT, Detroit Lions
• Equanimeous St. Brown (2015-17), WR, New Orleans Saints

Austin and McCloud were released and re-signed to their respective teams’ practice squads last week.

As a side note, when McCloud was cut by the Giants in early November, it angered some of his ex-teammates. It appears as though he was cut because he refused to take a pay cut.

“That’s my partner,” Giants edge rusher Brian Burns said, according to Athlon Sports. “I don’t know, I don’t really know the ins and outs of why it happened. But that’s somebody I got close to since I got here, so it’s a bummer.”