Notre Dame Football: It seems like it’s Christmastime every day with Sam Hartman

If Sam Hartman hasn’t won over the Notre Dame locker room by now — it isn’t for the lack of trying. The “old man” at Notre Dame has already impressed his teammates and coaches enough to be named one of four captains for the 2023 college football season, but with Hartman on campus, it has felt more like the Christmas season.

A few days ago, Hartman gave all of his teammates new Under Armour SlipSpeed training shoes as a part of his NIL deal with the shoe company.

Of course, there are many that would say that given Notre Dame’s new 10 year extension with Under Armour and the important part the Fighting Irish brand plays with the apparel company, these shoes should have already been a part of the players’ haul. I completely understand that position, and I agree — but I also appreciate what both Notre Dame and Under Armour are trying to do with Sam Hartman, and it’s a very good thing for the program.

But that’s not it folks.

On Monday, our beloved transfer from Wake Forest gifted his teammates Beats headphones as a part of another NIL deal that he has.

This is a fantastic gesture by Hartman, and you have to wonder... what’s next? Having a top tier quarterback at Notre Dame opens a lot of NIL doors, and Sam is grabbing the bags for him and his new teammates. It feels like a huge step up from where he was, and Mike Berardino didn’t hold back.

Notre Dame and Sam Hartman are quietly building a Heisman campaign before the season begins, and I am more than ready for ND to go all in on this stuff before the moment gets past them.

So, Merry Christmas — let’s open more presents.