Did Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman's mom make jewelry from rib? "If he wants me to clean the flesh off of his ribs, then that's what I'm gonna do"

When Sam Hartman made the switch from the Wake Forest Deacons to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, he had no idea that his name would be trending for reasons unrelated to sport.

The quarterback had a rib surgically removed last year after being diagnosed with Paget-Schroetter Syndrome and undergoing several procedures.

The first surgery was to deal with a blood clot. The second surgery was for tissue cleanup and removal of the rib closest to the collarbone to stop any more clots by allowing more space for vessels.

Did Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman's mom make jewelry from rib?

Sam Hartman asked to keep the rib afterward. He then gave it to his mother, Lisa Hartman, who he said is making a necklace for him out of the rib. That particular rib necklace was recently unveiled by Notre Dame before their game against Navy in the 2023 college football season opener.

When asked about the unusual request from her son, Sam's mother had a simple answer:

"He means the world to me, so if he wants me to clean the flesh off of his ribs, then that’s what I’m gonna do."

This will be Sam Hartman's sixth season of eligibility after spending five years at Wake Forest.

He was recently featured on ESPN's SportsCenter where he explained how bright the lights are while playing for a historic program like Notre Dame:

"It's been surreal. I mean, I think hearing your name, side by side by one of the most historic programs in the country is very cool, but also humbling. You know the expectations when it comes to being a Notre Dame football player and also being a Notre Dame quarterback."

He isn't just a mildly unorthodox figure though. His statistics place him as one of the best quarterbacks to have ever played college football. He's the Atlantic Coast Conference's record holder in touchdown passes with 110.

Sam Hartman's story

Hartman had the chance to declare for the NFL draft this year, but he decided to transfer to Notre Dame instead. He explained the reasoning behind his decision on SportsCenter:

“I love playing football, and I know that going to NFL is a tough task. There's small percentages, and I do believe I can play in the NFL, but I knew I had an extra year of eligibility and why not try and take a shot at a new place and a new scheme. And, again, it's Notre Dame. I feel like that kind of answers itself of the history."

He played 12 games last season even with the injury and threw 12 interceptions and 3,701 yards for the Deacons. He led Wake Forest to an 8-5 record missing just one game.

Notre Dame plays Navy in its first game on Aug. 26, and Hartman could have his interesting piece of jewelry ready by then.