GREEN BAY — Three generations of football.
Friday in Madison, a father and his two sons will compete for a state championship, carrying on the tradition started by their Super Bowl-winning grandfather.
“This has been one of the best years of my life in terms of just being able to spend a lot of time with my kids, teach them what i know, have some success on the field,” Jim Flanigan Jr, a former NFL player and now a football coach at Notre Dame Academy, said.
The Flanigan family says time on the gridiron is special. James a senior tight end and defensive end, has blossomed into a star. His brother Richie, a sophomore, has made his presence felt along the Tritons D-line and their father, Jim Flanigan jr. is the D-line coach.
“It's just been something that I've been dreaming about since eighth grade, seventh grade,” Richie said.
“It's just really special,” James added. “I love my brother and I love playing on the D-line with him. It’s just an experience that I won’t ever get again. (I’m) just savoring it and having a great season together and just having fun.”
“It's a big honor,” their father said. “It’s a big thrill for me as a father to be able to coach both my boys and be a part of this program.”
Football runs in their blood. Jim Flanigan Jr. shined at Southern Door High School and with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish before having a 10 year NFL career. Their grandfather, Jim Flanigan Sr., won Super Bowl II with the Packers.
“It brings back a lot of memories and I think the best part about it is I can take what I learned earlier in my career," Jim said. "And I can give that knowledge to our kids."
Flanigan Jr. said he never put expectations on his children when it came to sports.
“I knew from an early age that both James and Richie were going to be good athletes," he said. "And I think it’s important to kind of let them find their own way, help guide them but not pressure them or force them to do anything.”
“Just the freedom to explore other sports and raising me as an athlete has been huge for development,” James said. “I played hockey, soccer, lacrosse when I was little – just developing overall athleticism and no pressure has really helped.”
The former NFL star says it’s the same freedom his dad gave him.
Of course, it helps to have a dad who played in the NFL.
“Obviously, he has a really high football IQ so just coaching me on d-line, he's helped me a lot," James said. "Just understand just what the line is trying to do, what the o-line, they’re trying to do."
“Just stunts and blitzes and just understanding defense overall and them again just developing athleticism like what he did when he was a kid," James continued. "Playing a lot of sports and that translates to football a lot.”
But James and Richie said, it’s not the physical things their father has taught them on the field, but the mental that has been the most important to their success.
“It's really important because you know everyone makes mistakes, even the best players,” Richie said. “The better players get it out of their mind and focus on the next play.”
James will be following in the footsteps of his father, as he will be suiting up for the Fighting Irish next season.
“The whole recruiting process – it was hands off approach, you can do what you want to do,” said James of how his father felt about him committing to his alma mater. “After the USC game when I said I wanted to commit I could tell he was pretty pumped.”
“Very proud of James and that goes back to the pressure, (I) truly from the bottom of my heart wanted to pick the school that was best for him,” Jim said.
But first, they have a state title to win. just like Jim Flanigan Jr. did at Southern Door in 1989 with his father and brother, Brian, who went on to play for the Badgers.
“It's just part of the legacy. It would just be a tremendous accomplishment for us and the whole program,” Jim Flanigan Jr. said.
Notre Dame will take on Catholic Memorial for the WIAA Division 3 state title Friday at 10 a.m.
