Notre Dame’s veteran tight end just delivered the Irish rallying cry

While there's a ton of excitement around the Notre Dame football team, there's been a bit of sadness this fall camp as well. That sadness centers around the end of tight end Kevin Bauman's career. However, while he won't be playing football again, the veteran tight end is still doing his best to lead by words and deeds. The Irish continue to be better off with him around, even if he can't suit up.

Bauman suffered a torn ACL in the same knee that he's had surgery on before last week, and not long after the injury was announced, the tight end proclaimed an official end to his football career. That retirement comes even though he could have applied for a medical redshirt if he so wanted.

Notre Dame's Kevin Bauman delivers heartfelt 'Here Comes The Irish' speech after ACL setback

While he won't be putting on the pads anymore, Bauman remains with the Notre Dame football team, and in a new clip of Season 2 of the Peacock streaming series, Here Comes The Irish, Bauman delivers an impassioned speech to his teammates, talking about the path his career has taken and why he still loves Notre Dame.

"Notre Dame means everything to me. To me, it means opportunity. It means growth," Bauman began before detailing his struggles with football. "So come in here, Class of 2020. Freshman year, huge goals, huge aspirations. Sophomore year, right? We opened the year at Florida State, night game, break my leg in that game."

"I remember being carted off the field, tears in my eyes, how could this happen, right? This was my moment. I said, hey, all right, whatever, it happens. Junior year is my year. Week four practice, I remember where it happened, the exact play call. Tear my ACL. Year four still on the plan, right? Like, this is it, let's go, this is the year. Tear the same ACL again."

"At that point, instantly I'm thinking, not gonna play another snap of football again so took some time talked to my family about it went to coach Free's office and i said hey coach if you'll let me i want to do a fifth year here, didn't go the way i planned it to."

Bauman then laid out why South Bend is still important to him.

"I share that with you guys just to show you like this is a journey right this is your journey each and every single one who's going to have a different journey than the guy next to you i was just asked recently you know like all these things that have happened to you like would you change them the answer is no because that everything that's happened The highs and lows has brought me to like this exactly this moment right here standing in front of you guys But my advice is keep it light have fun with it. This place is so special. I wouldn't trade this place for the world."

It was a speech that clearly a meant a lot to Kevin Bauman's Notre Dame football teammates and one they'll carry with them into the season.