SOUTH BEND —When both James Flanigan and Cooper Flanagan found the end zone for Notre Dame football in the first two games of the 2026 season, it marked a stunning renaissance of sorts for Tight End U.
Over the previous 16 games, dating back to the start of the 2024 College Football Playoff, Notre Dame tight ends had produced exactly one touchdown reception: Arkansas transfer Ty Washington’s 4-yard score against Navy last November.
Irish tight ends last produced touchdowns in back-to-back outings in November of 2024 against Florida State (Mitchell Evans) and Virginia (Evans and Flanagan).
Should a Notre Dame tight end score this Saturday night, Sept. 19, against Michigan State, it would mark the first three-game stretch with at least one touchdown reception for the position since September of 2023.
Back then, with Sam Hartman at quarterback, Holden Staes broke free against Tennessee State, North Carolina State and Central Michigan in back-to-back-to-back weeks. Davis Sherwood also caught a scoring toss at N.C. State.
And Irish tight ends haven’t reeled off a four-game streak with at least one end zone visit since All-America Michael Mayer did in Weeks 2-5 of 2022 against Marshall, California, North Carolina and Brigham Young.
Even this modest two-game streak to open the season with touchdowns for Irish tight ends is a first since Mayer opened 2021 with scoring catches against Florida State and Toledo.
Speaking of Mayer, the fourth-year pro recently signed a $45 million contract extension with the Las Vegas Raiders that reportedly includes $30 million guaranteed.
Flanagan, who directly inherited Mayer’s No. 87 with permission by proxy, smiled after Tuesday’s practice when the deal was raised.
“Maybe I should reach out,” said the senior from Pleasant Hill, CA. “That’s amazing. I think all the tight ends were happy to see him (rewarded).”
Adding to the good vibes among Irish tight ends was Eli Raridon’s season-opening touchdown for the New England Patriots to start the NFL year. Raridon was drafted in the third round despite being held out of the end zone over the final 16 games of his Notre Dame career.
In theory, tight ends should always be at the forefront of offensive options in the shadow of an opponent’s goal line. They fit the profile.
“Just the size and athleticism,” Flanagan said by way of explanation. “What we do in the run game kind of opens us up in the pass game. They can kind of forget what we can do in the pass game in terms of the defense, obviously. We’re just big bodies and we have pretty sure hands.”
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This early-season emergence has included play-action in both instances. Flanigan scored on a 3-yard catch for Notre Dame in his Green Bay homecoming, marking the first end zone foray of the year for coach Mike Denbrock’s offense.
Against overmatched Rice, Flanagan’s lonely 2-yard grab made it 49-0 and capped a solid day’s work for Carr and the Irish starters.
Has Carr made it clear to his tight ends what he needs from them in the red zone?
“He’s not specifically telling us something like that,” Flanagan said. “It’s more so just to the whole offense. He trusts the whole offense, and he’s a great leader. Whatever the team needs … we’ll all be there for CJ.”
Denbrock, a former Grand Valley (MI) State tight end from 1982-85, is in his third stint coaching the position at Notre Dame. He also had those duties from 2002-04 and 2010-11 when the trio of Anthony Fasano, Kyle Rudolph and Tyler Eifert combined for 16 touchdowns in those five seasons.
This fast start for Irish tight ends must have Denbrock displaying even more of the “juice” he likes to reference.
“I think he tries to hide it,” Flanagan said with a smile, “but I think he definitely gets juiced up.”
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Putting fast start for Notre Dame football tight ends in perspective
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