College Football

Jerome Bettis' son brings family name back to South Bend, committing to Notre Dame

Published Mar. 17, 2024 8:10 p.m. ET

Like father, like son.

Jerome Bettis Jr., the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerome, is bringing the Bettis name back to South Bend, committing to Notre Dame on Sunday.

Unlike his father, the younger Bettis is a wide receiver and a three-star recruit in the Class of 2025, per 247Sports. He actually began his football career emulating his father, wearing the same jersey number (36) and playing running back before switching both of them while he was in middle school because he wanted to forge his own path.

"One of the biggest things was changing my number, and so me really getting my number away from his, that was a big step for me realizing that at the end of the day, I'm my own man," Bettis told ESPN. "I love my dad and I love everything that I guess comes with him being my father, but at the same time, I create my own legacy and my own journey."

Still, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound wideout and Atlanta native shared that Notre Dame brings a sense of familiarity to him.

"I'll be continuing my academic and athletic career at the University of Notre Dame," Bettis told 247Sports. "What made the school so special for me is the feeling I get when I'm there and the comfortability and sense of home that makes the place super special."

Bettis added in his comments to 247Sports that he has a "great" relationship with third-year Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, saying he's "so personable and genuine, and that's rare these days in college football."

Bettis picked Notre Dame over a handful of other Power 5 schools, such as Boston College, Texas A&M, Duke, Ole Miss and Georgia Tech, among others. He's the 18th commit for Notre Dame in the Class of 2025, which is by far the most for any FBS school.

The elder Bettis set school records over his three seasons with the Fighting Irish. In 1991, he scored a program-record 23 total touchdowns, helping Notre Dame win the Sugar Bowl. A year later, Bettis was the star of a Notre Dame team that went 10-1-1, leading it to a Cotton Bowl win before declaring for the draft.

The Rams selected Bettis with the 10th overall pick in the 1993 draft, spending the first three seasons of his career there before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1996. He became a Steelers icon, helping them win a Super Bowl in his final game.

Bettis eventually continued his studies at Notre Dame and graduated with a bachelor's degree in business in 2022.