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Aamil Wagner is one of the most impressive people I’ve met in my life,” Pete Bevacqua said on a Dec. 8 episode of “The Dan Patrick Show.” Wagner, an offensive tackle and team captain, has made an immense impact as a Notre Dame representative both on and off the field. His story is best told when the focus shifts away from the gridiron and into the communities he has improved.

In 2025 alone, Wagner earned spots on trophy watch lists and was named a semifinalist or finalist for numerous titles that recognize athleticism and character. As a member of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Wagner qualified for consideration for the Wuerffel Trophy. Established in 2004, the trophy annually honors an athlete who utilizes their platform as a collegiate football player for the good of others. “Life is not all just about sports and tossing around a football. It’s about changing lives and helping people,” said Courtney Love, the 2017 recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy.

Dedicated to shaping how good is done, Notre Dame has woven itself into the history of the Wuerffel Trophy. Head coach Marcus
Freeman was named the honorary coach of the AFCA Good Works Team in recognition of his efforts within the South Bend community. Linebacker Drue Tranquill was named to the AFCA Good Works Team in both 2017 and 2018, and won the Wuerffel Trophy in 2018. JD Bertrand and Jack Kiser were named finalists in 2022 and 2023, respectively. That lineage reflects the standard that Notre Dame has set, and the example that Wagner has followed and made his own.

Wagner could have easily chosen to make life just about sports. In high school, Wagner excelled at shot put, basketball and football, driven by a desire to reach the next level. Even while training for college athletics, Wagner remained deeply involved in his community. Eventually, Wagner’s “Midwest kid” dream of playing football for Notre Dame came true, he said during the spring 2025 Monogram Jacket Ceremony. He recognized that he was given a unique opportunity to continue his passion for community service, backed by an institution that was committed to amplifying good. “Here at Notre Dame, we’re not just student-athletes, we're members of our community," Wagner said in a video shared on social media by Notre Dame football.

With a community-first mindset guiding each area of his life, Wagner has sought to learn more about this passion. Graduating
from the Mendoza College of Business with a master’s degree in nonprofit administration this spring will enable him to further support the communities he is a part of. “I told the team, it’s the greatest honor of my life so far,” Wagner said of being named captain of the 2025 team. “The ability to serve this team, the people I love the most, there’s nowhere I’d rather do it at and no other people I’d rather serve.” For Wagner, leadership excludes ideas of authority, but rather an opportunity to set standards in service and commitment.

“I’m proud to be a Notre Dame man,” Wagner said at the Monogram Jacket Ceremony. Only actions can support such a statement , and his journey at Notre Dame has proved that an athlete can build a legacy outside of yards and tackles. With his final year at Notre Dame punctuated by an abundance of recognition and appreciation, Wagner has declared for the 2026 NFL draft.