Fortune finds a distraught Rudy and reveals that he actually played for Notre Dame years earlier (having seen games from the bench, but never from the stands), but quit when he felt he was being kept from playing due to his skin color and has regretted it ever since. Reminded that he has nothing to prove to anyone but himself and will forever regret quitting, Rudy returns to the team. Each of his fellow seniors, led by team captain and All-American Roland Steele, lines up to lay his jersey on Devine's desk and requests that Rudy be allowed to dress in his place for the season's final game. Devine lets Rudy suit up against Georgia Tech.