Ex-Notre Dame football trench warrior inks new blockbuster NFL deal

The ex-Fighting Irish lineman scores a mega payday in Florida, reuniting with his old coordinator for a new NFL chapter.
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One of the best offensive linemen to come through the Notre Dame football program in recent years has found himself a big payday in the NFL. Robert Hainsey gets to continue a nice career in the pros and he’ll be reunited with his former offensive coordinator.

Hainsey has signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. That also means the former Irish star will continue his NFL days in the state of Florida after beginning his pro career with the Tampa Bay Bucs.

The former Notre Dame football star signed a new 3-year deal with the Jaguars earlier this week and according to Ian Rapoport he’s getting $7 million per season and will get at least $13 million guaranteed over the course of the deal.

Ex-Notre Dame football star gets new deal to continue NFL career

Hainsey had been relegated to backup center with the Bucs in 2024 after starting the previous two seasons. Now reuniting with former OC Liam Cohen, who is now the head coach of the Jaguars, that kind of contract looks like he’s expected to be a starter.

Hainsey moving on was a foregone conclusion once he reached free agency thanks to Tampa drafting Graham Barton a year ago. While the team has all five of its starters back for 2025 it does lose a big piece of depth to the jags. 

While with the Notre Dame football team from 2017 to 2020, Robert Hainsey was a two-time team captain. He was also the program’s offensive lineman of the year in 2019. In the brief period where the Irish were part of the ACC during the Covid season, he made second-team All-ACC. He was selected by the Bucs in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft.

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