Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football star Manti Te’o delivered an inspiring speech to the current football team, issuing a rallying cry ahead of their College Football Playoff National Championship Game clash with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Manti Te’o Delivers Epic Motivational Speech Ahead of Notre Dame’s National Championship Battle With the Buckeyes
In the week leading up to the national championship game, the Fighting Irish enlisted the services of one of the program’s most storied players in recent memory. Te’o’s time at Notre Dame can be described as inspirational, and unsurprisingly, the former Heisman Trophy contender didn’t disappoint.
Manti Te’o’s gotta give the Notre Dame pre-game speech next Monday. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/E3U7GefYc1
— College Sports Only (@CollegeSportsO) January 13, 2025
The most iconic moment, among several in a rousing speech, was when Te’o encouraged the current Fighting Irish players to recognize their place within the hierarchy of modern football despite coming into the game as a significant underdog against the Buckeyes.
“I’m not going to wish you luck because luck is for those that don’t belong.” Goosebumps.
Prior to that, Te’o took out a pen from his pocket to symbolize their ability to write history, saying:
“If you’re in this room, you have one thing that millions of people outside don’t have, and that’s vision. It’s the ability to write history. You have that. I was able to write a lot of things when I was here, a lot of records when I was here, but there’s one thing that I wasn’t able to write. We got close to the national championship.”
In the end, his heartfelt encouragement was paired with a lighthearted moment as he promised to celebrate their future success.
“That’s all we care about is the history that the 2024 football team writes. When y’all win it all, boy, I’m going to be with you. We’re going to party. That’s for sure.”
Manti Te’o’s storied career and unfinished business
Te’o’s journey to Notre Dame began as a highly regarded recruit from Hawai’i who chose the Fighting Irish over the USC Trojans in 2009. From the moment he arrived, he recorded 63 tackles as a freshman.
By 2010, Te’o had established himself as a defensive leader, tallying a career-high 133 tackles, one sack, and 9.5 tackles for loss. He followed that up in 2011 with 13.5 tackles for loss, solidifying his reputation as one of the nation’s top linebackers.
It was in 2012 that Te’o became the leader of an elite Notre Dame defense. He recorded 113 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, and an impressive seven interceptions. His performance was instrumental in the team’s undefeated regular season (12-0) and earned him a spot as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Despite falling short in the national championship game, Te’o’s leadership left a lasting impression.
Te’o’s college success led to a professional career in the NFL, where he was drafted in the second round of the 2013 draft. Over eight seasons, he played for the Chargers, Saints, and Bears, further cementing his status as a football icon.
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