Former Notre Dame standout Eilers donates $3M to university

Posted October 09, 2015 7:00 am

The Associated Press

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - A member of Notre Dame's last national championship football team has donated $3 million to endow the defensive backs coaching position.

The university announced the gift Friday from Pat and Jana Eilers of Winnetka, Illinois. Eilers was a two-year starter for the Irish, playing flanker, split end and defensive back. He played in 34 games, starting 18.

Eilers played in 61 games in the NFL from 1990 through 1995 with the Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins and Chicago Bears.

Last year, Eilers took a sabbatical from his work as managing director of Madison Dearborn Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm, to serve as defensive quality control assistant. At the time, defensive graduate assistant coach Kyle McCarthy was on medical leave.

It's the first endowed assistant coach position at Notre Dame.

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