Notre Dame football has captured America’s attention for over 100 years. Of all the great legends who coached or played on Notre Dame’s football field, none is as iconic as Knute Rockne. It was 100 years ago on January 1, 1925, that Rockne’s Fighting Irish beat Stanford 27-10 in the Rose Bowl, clinching the first of Notre Dame’s 11 National Championships. The victorious finale to their 1924 season helped Rockne secure Notre Dame’s place on the national map and on its celebrated road to glory in football history. Fans watch every pass, every play, and every touchdown with a singular intensity. Tragically, Rockne died in an airplane crash on March 31, 1931. His remarkable life will be celebrated in The History Museum’s exhibit Rockne: Life and Legacy, on view August 23, 2025 – May 31, 2026. This ultimate retrospective of Knute Rockne will be the most significant presentation of Rockne artifacts ever assembled and made available to the public, offering a unique look at Notre Dame’s and college football’s greatest legend.
Rockne: Life and Legacy provides the remarkable opportunity to view once-in-a-lifetime objects and materials related to Knute Rockne, some together for the first time ever. The watch Rockne was wearing at the time the 1931 airplane crash that claimed his life; the 1924 National Championship banner; the telegram Rockne sent to his wife, Bonnie, just before he boarded the fatal flight; and a sweatshirt Rockne wore and whistle he used at his team’s practices are just a few of the amazing items that breathe life into the story of Rockne. Many of these artifacts are on loan to The History Museum from institutions and well-known collectors of Rockne memorabilia that include:
Andrew Nickle Collection
Notre Dame Archives
Jim Augustine
College Football Hall of Fame
Studebaker National Museum
The last telegram Knute Rockne sent to his wife, Bonnie, before leaving on his doomed flight. Courtesy of Andrew Nickle Collection
Exhibit advisors for Rockne: Life and Legacy include Rockne authors and experts, football commentators and authorities, and University of Notre Dame academics and administration. Leading the team of consultants are:
Jim Lefebvre
Author, Coach for a Nation: The Life and Times of Knute Rockne
Founder, Knute Rockne Memorial Society
Ivan Maisel
Author, sportswriters for ESPN and Sports Illustrated
Andrew Nickle
Notre Dame football historian and collector
Alex Painter
Author and Notre Dame and Rockne podcaster
Tim Sexton
Associate Vice President for Public Affairs
University of Notre Dame
Rockne: Life and Legacy will have the most significant presentation of Knute Rockne artifacts ever assembled and made available to the public.Objects to be seen include the wristwatch he was wearing at the time of the fatal plane crash. On his way to Los Angeles with five other passengers, Rockne died when the Transcontinental and Western Air airplane went down near Bazaar, Kansas. All aboard were killed. The crystal of the watch worn by Rockne shattered, immortalizing the time of the crash: 11:15 a.m.