James Flanigan Brings Three Generations of Family History to Lambeau With Notre Dame

Notre Dame sophomore tight end James Flanigan will play against Wisconsin on Sept. 6 at Lambeau Field, though how much and in what role is still an open question. Mike Denbrock, who coordinates Notre Dame’s offense and coaches the tight ends, described a room deep enough that it may not sort itself out cleanly.

“I mean I think we’ve got a deep room, which is a good thing, and I think it’ll be a little bit tight end by committee at times,” Denbrock said earlier this week. “I mean, I think we’re four or five deep in that room that can really play meaningful snaps and play really championship football. So, that part’s exciting. As we go through game plan and things like that, we’ll be a little more specific with how we use certain guys,” he added.

“But I love the depth in there and I like the progress that those guys have made.”

Flanigan, a sophomore, has no career catches. A four-star prospect who ranked No. 127 nationally, he was the No. 6 tight end in the country and the top prospect in Wisconsin coming out of Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay, eight minutes from the stadium where the opener will be played.

“Yeah, I think it’s just special. Like I said, I just focus on getting better,” Flanigan said earlier this week as well. “So, you know, the better I can do my job. And I think really as a whole tight end room, like we all progressed through fall camp and through the offseason,” he added.

Similar to Denbrock, Flanigan suggested almost everyone the room could play if needed. “I think anybody could go out and play with us or for us in the tight end room. It’s just special, you know, to kind of be in the rotation and share the field with my guys in the tight end room.”

Cooper Flanagan, the senior back from the knee injury that cost him almost all of last season after four catches for 55 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, was asked what makes this Notre Dame team physical and named the sophomore first.

“Yeah, I mean, from my point of view, I just look at the guys around me,” he said. “You know, I see James Flanigan, tight end room, the O-line, the receivers, you know, going out and blocking, doing their thing,” Cooper said. “I just see the whole team being physical and blocking their butts off.”

A Hometown Opener With Family History

Flanigan’s grandfather, Jim Flanigan Sr. was Green Bay’s second-round pick in 1967, 51st overall, out of Pitt. He won the NFL championship that season and played in the Ice Bowl at Lambeau as a rookie. He died on Dec. 26, 2025, at 80. Flanigan’s father, Jim Flanigan Jr, was born in Green Bay, played defensive tackle at Notre Dame, and spent the 2001 season with the Packers after seven years in Chicago, where he took a handful of short-yardage snaps at tight end.

So the younger Flanigan walks into Lambeau on Sept. 6 in the same uniform his father wore in South Bend, in the stadium where his grandfather won a title. He was asked about the overlap.

“Yeah. I mean, it’s just kind of insane, you know, how lucky and blessed I am to get to share this history with Notre Dame and with Green Bay,” he said. “So I’m pumped just to get out there and see my family and my friends and play in my hometown. Like, it’s just beyond comprehension, like what are the chances that this happens?”

What His Father Passed Down

On his father’s influence, Flanigan went somewhere other than football.

“I think it’s kind of beyond the football side, just seeing the kind of man he is. Like, you know, a lot of people see him as a football player, as a businessman, but to me and my siblings, he’s just Dad,” he said. “Again, he was my coach for football and track. So, getting to spend a lot of time with him and just the example he sets, how he treats people is just special, and I really look up to him.”

The Ticket Count Keeps Climbing

The homecoming comes with logistical challenges, but Flanigan has handed those off.

“Yeah, I think our ticket count right now is around 60 is what my mom shared with me,” he said.

Because of that, Flanigan’s father has advised him to block out the noise. “My dad’s been like, don’t get caught up in people trying to request tickets. So my mom’s been taking care of that and, it’s been really helpful just as far as so I can focus on playing football. So, very grateful to have my parents to kind of sort that out.”

Not all 60 of them will be pulling in the same direction. Flanigan’s uncles on both sides went to Wisconsin, and so did his mother.

“You know, my uncles on my mom’s and my dad’s side went to Wisconsin, and, a lot more of my mom’s side – my mom went to Wisconsin,” he said. “Ultimately family is family, though. So I hope they’re cheering for me at least. But, I’d understand if they’re hard-rooted, but it’s all good fun at the end of the day.”

Where He Fits in the Tight End Committee

A four- or five-deep room means the rotation gets sorted by what shows up on tape, and Denbrock has said the staff will be more specific with how it uses certain guys once game plans start driving the week. Flanigan’s path to holding a spot runs through the blocking Cooper Flanagan pointed to, because a tight end with no career catches earns his snaps on the line of scrimmage first. The Irish will likely feature a Flanigan and Flanagan two-headed monster to start the season, but Jack Larsen played well in camp and true freshman Ian Premier caught everyone’s attention early on by passing the eye test and then some.

How the rotation plays out will be something to watch all season, but for the opener, look for Flanigan to get his fair share of snaps and don’t be surprised if Denbrock finds a way to get Flanigan a look in the red zone if given the opportunity to let the youngest Flanigan make his mark in a stadium both his grandfather and father played in before him.