Jerome Bettis among 2022 Notre Dame graduating class

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Former NFL player Jerome Bettis accepted his diploma from the University of Notre Dame on Sunday, 28 years after he left the university.

In those 28 years, Bettis has gathered numerous accolades.

The tenth overall pick in the 1993 NFL draft played 13 years for the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers, won a Super Bowl with the Steelers, has been inducted into the NFL Hall-of-Fame, and as of Sunday afternoon, can now call himself a college graduate.

Bettis walked across the stage at Notre Dame Stadium on Sunday as a part of the graduating class of 2022, with a degree from the Mendoza School of Business.

“I’ve been waiting 28 years to celebrate this moment,” said Bettis.

The former Notre Dame stand-out took his talents to the professional level after three years at Notre Dame, and returned for his final year to finish his degree based on a promise made to his mother.

“Mom; promise made, promise kept,” said Bettis.