Nov. 17, 2006
By Katie Stuhldreher
Brady Quinn gets the job done. Thus far in the 2006 season, the senior quarterback is considered one of the top two Heisman Trophy candidates in the nation along with Troy Smith of Ohio State. He has passed for 2,579 yards and 25 touchdowns. He has led his team to a near perfect season, only falling to second-ranked Michigan. There’s no question that on football Saturdays, Quinn lays down the law on the gridiron.
But what most people don’t know about Quinn is that he dreams to one day practice law, too.
Quinn, set to graduate in May with a double major in finance and political science, sees more than a shot at the NFL in his future.
“Obviously I have aspirations to play in the NFL but someday I hope to go to law school, and pass the Bar,” says Quinn. “I’m not totally sure about what kind of law I’d want to get into right now, but I do have a lot of goals and aspirations other than football.”
Quinn explains that he has long held a strong interest in law and politics. He entered Notre Dame as a finance major, but after a summer internship, he decided to add political science to his course of studies.
“I did a law internship after my freshman year here and I aspire to be an attorney someday. I talked to some people at that internship, some Notre Dame alums, and they said that people with political science or history degrees are usually the best suited to go into law,” says Quinn.
“Political science seemed to be the most attractive option to me. So I picked up the second major and the courses have been great. I’ve really enjoyed it,” Quinn continues.
Quinn says his two majors blend well together and that he might get involved in a field that allows him to make use of both of his degrees.
“Right now, it’s up in the air. I’m also a finance major. I have a strong interest in different kinds of financial banking and things of that nature,” he says.
Although it’s hard for him to pick a single favorite class during his time at Notre Dame, Quinn especially enjoys courses in political theory.
“I enjoy political theory — it seems pretty dry — but it can go into all sorts of topics,” remarks Quinn. “I’m taking a course — well independent study — right now with Professor [George] Lopez about crime and corruption and globalization. It covers a lot of topics. It’s been really interesting.”
Quinn’s interest in pursuing a career in a law in addition to one in football is not unprecedented in Notre Dame history. Alan Page, a 1966 All-American defensive end for the Fighting Irish, succeeded as a football player and is now a Minnesota Supreme Court Justice.
Page graduated from Notre Dame in 1967 and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings as a defensive tackle. He played with the Vikings until 1978 when he signed with the Chicago Bears. He played for the Bears until 1981, as was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. In 1993, Page also made his way into the College Football Hall of Fame, and in 2002, the International Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame.
The Pupil and the Teacher – Brady Quinn’s game has flourished under Irish head coach Charlie Weis.
|
 |
However, while playing with the Vikings, Page earned a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from the University of Minnesota Law School and worked as a lawyer in a private practice until 1984. Page was named assistant attorney general in 1985 and soon after became attorney general. In 1992, he was elected to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
In 1998, Page was re-elected to the bench, earning the most votes for that post in Minnesota history.
Quinn and Page have quite a bit in common. Both are from Ohio, chose to major in political science at Notre Dame, played for the Fighting Irish, and have an interest in law and politics.
When asked if Quinn thought he might follow in Page’s footsteps in pursuing law and football simultaneously after graduation, Quinn replies: “Without a doubt.”
Quinn says he’s aware of programs that allow professional athletes to earn post-graduate degrees while playing full-time. While he is not 100 percent decided on what he will do after graduation, he mentioned such programs as a viable option.
“I have a really strong interest in politics. I could see myself getting a law degree and working in law or for some kind of political party,” says Quinn.
Notre Dame’s academic options certainly attracted Quinn and ultimately helped him to further his ambitions to prepare himself for life in the NFL and/or law school. However, Quinn believes Notre Dame was a good fit for him in other areas of his life, too.
“One of the reasons I wanted to come here was because I think spirituality is very important and there are lots of ways to explore that here through groups and other things,” explains Quinn.
“I think that I’ve developed my spirituality being here. There are a lot of groups to get involved in and a lot of support. My faith helps my game in that I can go out and play with confidence and remember that I’m playing for His glory, not necessarily my own,” he continues.
Quinn has been involved in a variety of Christian organizations on campus during his time at Notre Dame, like Iron Sharpens Iron, a student-run prayer and discussion group.
“There was just some sort of feeling that I had coming on campus. It just kind of hit me all at once. Between academics, football, and spirituality, this was just the place that I needed to be,” Quinn says of his first visit to campus.
Looking back on his four years, however, Quinn doesn’t have a specific favorite memory.
Senior quarterback Brady Quinn goes into his final game at Notre Dame Stadium with 35 school records to his credit.
|
|
“Hopefully it’s not over yet. I don’t want to say a favorite memory right now. I always like to think that tomorrow will be my best day or best game yet,” says Quinn.
“But I have had a lot of fun times here,” he adds, saying that he enjoys hanging out off the field with his friends and teammates.
“I hang out with a lot of guys on the O-line and pretty much all of the offense. [John] Carlson, [David] Grimes, [Dan] Santucci, [John] Sullivan, all those guys. And I live with Chinedum [Ndukwe], so you can’t count him out. We just like to kick it. We have our places that we go on certain nights of the week for dinner. But with football and academics here, there isn’t really time for much else,” says Quinn.
Quinn also commented on his close relationship with Irish head coach Charlie Weis, who took the young quarterback under his wing when he came to Notre Dame last season.
“The most important thing Weis taught me was having a short-term memory. It was one of the first things we worked on together,” explains the Irish quarterback.
“Just being able to forget past plays and keep focused. It has really helped me to try to put aside a lot of the other variables that occur and try to make the most of the moment that you’re in. I think when you do that, you can have a great moment or a great touchdown,” he says.
At the post-game press conference after the North Carolina game, Weis commented on how much Quinn had matured and developed under his tenure.
“Hey, I’d take those guys back for another two years, see what numbers they can really put up,” Weis said of Quinn and wide receiver Jeff Samardzija, whose performances made them stand out as leaders on the team.
As far as the Heisman hunt is concerned, Quinn, who is considered to be the number-two pick right now, says, “I just want to focus on winning games and those kinds of national awards will take care of themselves. It’s an honor to be mentioned, but for me it’s really just about winning games.”
With only a handful of games left in Quinn’s final regular season with the Irish, he comments on the legacy he hopes to leave behind.
“I think that question can only be answered at the end of this season, but hopefully people will think I worked hard here with Coach Weis and worked to turn this program into something special. We still have a lot of work to do, but I want this program to be something people will remember,” he says.
While this may well be how the Notre Dame community remembers Quinn’s four years under the Golden Dome, Quinn hopes to graduate and start a new legacy for himself, both in the NFL and perhaps even in law or politics.