Donovan Hinish’s medical retirement from college football on Monday merely was the first blow to Notre Dame’s defensive line depth this week

On Tuesday, veteran player Josh Burnham announced on social media that he intends to enter his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal in the upcoming window.

 

The NCAA’s new, single-window Transfer Portal opens Friday, Jan. 2, and runs through Jan. 16, 2026.

A 6-foot-4-inch, 260-pounder from Traverse City, Michigan, Burnham appeared in all 12 Notre Dame games during the 2025 season and 40 career games since he arrived as part of the Fighting Irish’s 2022 signing class.

Burnham arguably played the best football of his career during Notre Dame’s late-season surge that culminated in an 10-2 finish and the controversial standing as the first team left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff.

But his most memorable play? It wasn’t a defensive stop. Rather, Burnham lofted the fake-punt touchdown pass that Luke Talich snagged and raced 84 yards for a touchdown in the Irish’s season-ending blowout-win last month at Stanford.

Burnham had three solo tackles in that Stanford win and earlier in November had notched two sacks in Notre Dame’s dominant victory at then-nationally ranked Pittsburgh.

He has one year of eligibility remaining in his collegiate career.Â