The Notre Dame football program just reminded the rest of the football world that the it is indeed Tight End U, and Eli Raridon made it clear that there really isn’t another school that can make the same claim.
On a night when most Fighting Irish fans were busy waiting to see what first-round pick Jadarian Price could do for his new Seattle Seahawks teammates, it was Raridon who scored the first touchdown of the NFL season, showing that he can indeed be the kind of weapon he’s looked like all preseason.
Raridon’s touchdown catch was the first of his career, and it was hardly a flashy play that blew defenders away. On the other hand, the big tight end managed to lose himself in the end zone completely and was totally uncovered when Drake Maye tossed him a two-yard touchdown to give the New England Patriots a 7-0 lead in a rematch of last season’s Super Bowl.
First NFL catch, first NFL TD @EliRaridon!!
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 10, 2026
📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/M9ZmApdGAt
Eli Raridon adds another NFL milestone to Notre Dame football’s unmatched tight end pipeline
Not only did Raridon score the first touchdown of the season to add fuel to the fire that Notre Dame is the undisputed Tight End U, but when the Patriots made him a third-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Irish kept a streak going that other programs should be jealous of.
Every single TE1 from Notre Dame has been drafted over the last 20 years. The 2006 selection of Anthony Fasano started this run, and the only thing that's broken the streak is when the team's starting tight end wasn't eligible for the draft.
One of the most noteworthy things about Raridon getting the first NFL touchdown of the season is that he didn’t score a single touchdown in his final season with Notre Dame.
While he was undeniably TE1 and posted career highs in both receptions (32) and yards (482), the running game involving Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price was dominant enough that when the Irish were in a spot on the field that would normally call for the tight end to get the ball, they were punching it in on the ground.
At the end of the first half, Raridon might only have that one catch for two yards and a touchdown, but he continues to have the only touchdown that’s been scored so far in the rather unusual Wednesday night start to the 2026 NFL season.
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