Ex-Notre Dame football star talks unpleasant first interaction with Rudy Ruettiger

It's safe to say that for the last few decades, anyone who wants to play for Notre Dame football has watched the film Rudy. Of course, when they watch that film, they have an idea of the story and the titular character that isn't strictly factual. For one former Fighting Irish star, that led to a less-than-positive first interaction with the South Bend icon.

Notre Dame legendary linebacker Manti Te'o appeared on NFL Network's Good Morning Football on Thursday and talked about various issues, including when he met Rudy. During that particular story, he made it clear that they absolutely did not hit it off the first time they met.

"The Rudy I knew was the Rudy in the movie, so I didn't know what Rudy Ruettiger really looked like," Te'o explained. "Until at a parade, he came up to me, and he was like, hey, my name is Rudy Ruettiger, it's nice to meet you. I was like, 'Oh! You're Rudy!' And then Rudy Ruettiger responded by saying, 'See, this is the problem with the young generation; they don't know their history."

Notre Dame football legends weren't friends when they first met

Te'o went on to explain that he was quite taken aback and actually got rather defensive. The former Notre Dame football star said he knew it wasn't the most positive interaction.

What he's probably leaving out is that Te'o might have "big-timed" the beloved icon a bit. The former Fighting Irish and NFL star admitted he was just a freshman when that interaction happened and had some "growing to do."

That sounds like he wasn't all that receptive to meeting Rudy when the film's subject came up to meet him.

Notre Dame football star 'big-timed' Rudy Ruettiger

While that meeting didn't sound like it went well at all, Te'o made it clear the two had another encounter after his career ended, during which they both shared that they "loved and respected" each other.

Throughout that story and other stories he told on Good Morning Football, it's clear that the Notre Dame football star has done some serious growing. He continues to be a fantastic and uplifting story, especially for those who primarily knew him as the guy who once had a fake girlfriend.