Riley Leonard’s farewell to Notre Dame hit Irish fans hard, and for good reason. The quarterback’s lone season in South Bend turned the Irish from hopefuls to legitimate national contenders, and his emotional goodbye on Instagram only reinforced the impact he had on the program.
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After transferring from Duke, Leonard led Notre Dame to an 11-1 regular season, throwing for 2,861 yards and 21 touchdowns while also rushing for 906 yards and 17 scores—tying the school’s single-season QB rushing TD record. His resilience was on full display, especially in the Orange Bowl against Penn State, where he battled through an injury to orchestrate a clutch game-tying drive before sealing the win.
Though Notre Dame fell short in the national title game against Ohio State, Leonard’s toughness and leadership won over fans. His departure for the NFL leaves a major void, and while he may not surpass legends like Joe Montana in Irish lore, his impact in just one season ensures his name won’t be forgotten anytime soon.