Nick Shepkowski
March 19, 2023 6:00 am ET
Before the game of football became as pass-heavy as it has, Rick Mirer was busy helping lead Notre Dame to three straight major bowl games in the early 90’s with both his arm and his legs. Mirer won 29 games he starred for Lou Holtz and Notre Dame between 1990 and 1992 and his 18 touchdown passes in 1991 were a then-school record.
After leading Notre Dame Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl victories over Florida and Texas A&M respectively, Mirer was the second player to have his name called in the 1993 NFL draft. That remains the highest a Notre Dame player has been taken in the NFL draft since, something Kyle Hamilton hopes to match next month.
Mirer never won a national title at Notre Dame but he was the star quarterback on some fantastic teams. Celebrate his birthday, which he shares with other Irish greats Julian Love and Quenton Nelson, by taking a look at some of his best photos at Notre Dame.
Notre Dame v Michigan State
EAST LANSING, MI - SEPTEMBER 22, 1990: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish…
EAST LANSING, MI - SEPTEMBER 22, 1990: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish drops back during the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium on September 22, 1990 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Brian Masck/Getty Images)
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Stanford v Notre Dame
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 6, 1990: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish…
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 6, 1990: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish dives during the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Notre Dame Stadium on October 6, 1990 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Tony Duffy/Getty Images)
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Notre Dame v Navy
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - NOVEMBER 3: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks…
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - NOVEMBER 3: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on during the game against the Navy Midshipmen at Giants Stadium on November 3, 1990 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
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Notre Dame v Michigan
ANN ARBOR, MI - SEPTEMBER 14, 1991: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish…
ANN ARBOR, MI - SEPTEMBER 14, 1991: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball during the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on September 14, 1991 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Brian Masck/Getty Images)
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Rick Mirer
12 Sep 1992: Quarterback Rick Mirer of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish passes the ball during…
12 Sep 1992: Quarterback Rick Mirer of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish passes the ball during a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. The teams tied at 17-17. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport
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Rick Mirer
12 Sep 1992: Quarterback Rick Mirer of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish stands on the field…
12 Sep 1992: Quarterback Rick Mirer of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish stands on the field during a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. The teams tied at 17-17. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport
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Michigan v Notre Dame
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 12, 1992: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish…
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 12, 1992: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish drops back to pass during the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Notre Dame Stadium on September 12, 1992 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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Michigan v Notre Dame
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 12, 1992: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish…
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 12, 1992: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish passes during the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Notre Dame Stadium on September 12, 1992 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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1993 Cotton Bowl: Notre Dame v Texas A&M
DALLAS - JANUARY 1, 1993: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks for…
DALLAS - JANUARY 1, 1993: Rick Mirer #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks for a receiver during the Cotton Bowl game against the Texas A&M Aggies at the Cotton Bowl on January 1, 1993 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
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NCAA Football: USA TODAY Sports-Archive
Nov 10, 1990; Knoxville, TN, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quaterback Rick Mirer (3)…
Nov 10, 1990; Knoxville, TN, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quaterback Rick Mirer (3) in action against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
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US PRESSWIRE Sports Archive
Aug 1992; Chicago, IL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Irish quarterback Rick Mirer in action against…
Aug 1992; Chicago, IL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Irish quarterback Rick Mirer in action against Northwestern at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Photo By USA TODAY Sports
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US PRESSWIRE Sports Archive
Aug 1992; Chicago, IL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Irish quarterback Rick Mirer in action against…
Aug 1992; Chicago, IL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Irish quarterback Rick Mirer in action against Northwestern at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Photo By USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: USA TODAY Sports-Archive
Unknown date and location 1992; USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarter back Rick Mirer…
Unknown date and location 1992; USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarter back Rick Mirer on the sidelines during the 1992 season. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: USA TODAY Sports-Archive
Unknown date and location; USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Rick Mirer in action…
Unknown date and location; USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Rick Mirer in action during the 1992 season. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: USA TODAY Sports-Archive
Unknown date 1992; South Bend, IN, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Rick Mirer…
Unknown date 1992; South Bend, IN, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Rick Mirer (3) in action at Notre Dame Stadium during the 1992 season. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
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