Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and his wife Dianne have officially launched the Mike & Dianne Denbrock 2nd Chance Foundation 4 Life, a new nonprofit rooted in the same lessons of resilience, belief, and forward momentum that have defined Denbrock’s 37-year coaching career.
The foundation draws directly from the game’s most fundamental mindset: “Whatever has happened—good or bad—it’s over. Huddle up. It’s time for the next play.”
That philosophy is more than a slogan for the Denbrocks. It’s the heartbeat of an organization built to give people facing real-life setbacks the same kind of second chance coaches try to instill in their players every day.
The name itself carries deep personal meaning. Their son Chance, now 14, was born during the family’s second stint at Notre Dame (2010-16). As Dianne recalled, the name wasn’t an accident: “We only get one chance at this. We’ve got to get it right… He’s our chance.”
The foundation’s mission statement captures the family’s why: “We didn’t start this because it looked good on paper. We started it because we’ve spent years watching what happens when someone believes in you at the right time. The 2nd Chance Foundation 4 Life was born out of a simple idea: when the next play comes, make it count.”Mike Denbrock, who has developed quarterbacks and tight ends at stops including Buffalo, Stanford, Cincinnati, LSU, and three separate tours at Notre Dame, said the timing became clear after recent family losses. “It’s like what are we waiting for? When is ever the right time? … tomorrow’s not a promise, so here we are.”
The 2nd Chance Foundation 4 Life will focus on four causes that have touched the Denbrock family and those close to them:
- Childhood cancers — Supporting research, treatment access, and families. “Every child deserves the chance to grow up.”
- Men’s and women’s health — Funding screenings, education, and awareness. “Early detection saves lives.”
- Veterans — Providing mentorship, mental health resources, and community reintegration. “They gave everything on their field. We help veterans transition to their next chapter.”
- Autism support — Investing in programs that help individuals thrive on their own terms. “Every person communicates, learns, and experiences the world differently.”
The foundation will emphasize mentorship programs (“meeting them where they are, believing in them before they believe in themselves”), resource connections, and community “huddles” — all mirroring the coaching approach that has defined Denbrock’s career.
Longtime friend Al McKellar will run day to day operations for the Foundation. Denbrock first met McKellar more than 30 years ago when he was an assistant at Grand Valley State and McKellar was a high school coach in Michigan. “He’s been a trusted friend for 30-plus years,” Denbrock said, “and somebody that’s really given us a lot of sound advice and helped us kind of direct us where it needs to go to have the biggest impact it can have.”
The Denbrocks view their third chapter at Notre Dame — under head coach Marcus Freeman, with whom Mike previously worked at Cincinnati — as more than a professional homecoming. It’s a chance to give back to a community that has embraced them repeatedly.
Dianne said the warmth of the Notre Dame family made the decision easy: “Sometimes they say you can’t go home, right? … This community has been wonderful to us. And we wanted to find a way to give back.”
Donations to the 2nd Chance Foundation 4 Life go directly toward its four focus areas. More information, including how to join the “huddle,” is available at 2cf4l.org.
For a coach who has spent nearly four decades helping young men turn the page after bad plays, this foundation is simply extending that same belief beyond the white lines.
Welcome to the huddle. The next play starts now.