Tyler Buchner to rejoin Notre Dame football team, but with a twist

Buchner confirmed his return to Notre Dame in an open letter on the school’s website. In it, he stated that he had been “lured to Alabama by opportunities that glistened like gold in the Southern sun,” and that his year away from Notre Dame affirmed to him why he had wanted to go there in the first place. 

He said he had not expected to get the chance to return to the Notre Dame football team, and that he had turned down scholarship opportunities elsewhere to play as a walk-on.

In December, Buchner made the decision to return to Notre Dame to play lacrosse. At that point, it seemed his football career was over, but he clearly had another change of heart, and coach Marcus Freeman was willing to accommodate him.

Buchner was initially Notre Dame’s starting quarterback in 2022, but struggled in two games before suffering a significant shoulder injury that ruled him out for most of the season. He was unable to establish himself at Alabama in 2023 and wound up as Jalen Milroe’s backup before deciding to transfer again.