In the age of the internet, Notre Dame followers have all sorts of ways to get quick information about their favorite team, including who might be injured and who is healthy. However, one avenue that still gets widely overlooked is random fan videos taken just before a team practice that show a couple of Irish players who may be more banged up than anyone outside the program knew.
A video surfaced on Twitter from user Adam Kipker on Friday night. In the video, about five minutes long, Kipker captured several players, as well as head coach Marcus Freeman, heading to their final practice/walkthrough before Saturday afternoon’s game against Rice.
Most of the video is low-key and ho-hum for anyone who wasn't there to watch the players and coaches head to work. However, a couple of details popped out, including freshman Notre Dame defensive lineman Elijah Golden not dressed for practice and wearing a brace on his right ankle.
Golden isn’t the only surprise injury, as veteran wide receiver and team captain Jordan Faison can also be spotted with tape on his right wrist and thumb. However, that particular wrapping looks more precautionary than an indication that the leading receiver from Week 1 will miss the game against Rice, as he is also seen giving out autographs with that right hand.
Friday night Practice before thumping Rice tomorrow!! pic.twitter.com/VC9dJmliXh
— Adam (ND) Kipker (@KipkerAdam) September 11, 2026
Elijah Golden's unexpected injury raises questions for Notre Dame football
Golden, on the other hand, is a big question mark. All the talk this week has focused on whether Brauntae Johnson and Jason Onye are out for Week 2; however, there really hasn’t been any mention of Golden potentially being gimpy ahead of the Rice game. With Onye definitely out, the freshman’s absence is a bigger deal, even if Notre Dame should be able to blow the Owls out of the water without either of them.
Golden didn’t play in the Fighting Irish season opener, but he’s talented enough that he’s expected to see playing time at some point in 2026. Take away the fact that there’s no such thing as a redshirt anymore; there’s no reason to hold him back for any other reason than if he’s injured.
The 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive lineman from Cardinal Mooney High School in Sarasota, Florida, was a consensus 4-star prospect in the 2026 class. During his senior season at Cardinal Mooney, Golden recorded 76 tackles, including 39 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, and two pass breakups in 13 games while leading his team to a Florida Class 2A state championship. His campaign earned him MaxPreps All-American and Navy All-American honors, alongside a selection to the Polynesian Bowl.
Certainly, it will be interesting to see how long Elijah Golden is out and how it changes Notre Dame’s plans for him as the season goes on, even if he’s not a loss of the caliber of Brauntae Johnson or Jason Onye.
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