After delivering a breakout 2025 campaign and earning Third-Team All-American honors, ex-Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price is waiting to hear his name in the NFL draft, having his “why” by his side. This moment came after his mom’s toughest battle with cancer, making it even more meaningful for him. Now, opening up about that hard time, the RB shares how that pain turned into motivation to push him forward.
“My mom’s been through a lot, and watching her go through one of the hardest adversities ever, it made me feel like I can get through anything and challenge myself and never take anything for granted,” said Price during his Friday appearance on GMFB. “She’s been with me along the way. She’s made every single game that she could possibly make.”
“This was the first year that she was able to make every single game. Because I told her I was like, ‘I think this will be my last year.’ I know her, and she made it vertical to stop what she was doing and make sure she came to every game. She’s been super supportive, and she’s definitely my ‘why’; my motivation is going to the next level,” added the former Irish RB.
Jadarian Price’s mother, Jessica Butler, is a breast cancer survivor who has been cancer-free since November 2017. She was diagnosed when Price was 12 years old, and during her treatment, which included 16 rounds of chemotherapy, he stepped up as a primary supporter by taking care of his two younger sisters (Kzaria Butler and Lyricah Coleman) and cooking, but didn’t stop playing.
“He (Price) was my main supporter for the simple fact that he helped me with the girls,” said Jessica Butler. “He had to babysit a lot. And cook. And I think he took all of his emotions out on sports. He was always there, and I was always there with him. That’s what got it off his mind.”
The mother of the former Notre Dame RB revealed that she doesn’t think that she would have successfully finished her battle with cancer without the motivation of watching Jadarian play.
Jadarian Price calls his mom his “why.” Her courageous battle with cancer gave him strength & motivation.@JButler2004 is a warrior.
I wrote about Price’s special connection with his mom and sisters early in his Notre Dame career: https://t.co/lKELvn3ugm pic.twitter.com/H8qzGOAdLS
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) April 16, 2026
While Jadarian used sports as an outlet for the emotions he felt seeing his mother, her presence on the field not only helped her to keep her mind off her illness but also to not put her children under stress, even though it was a difficult time for her.
“I was devastated. I didn’t want them to worry, and I didn’t know what was going to happen. At that moment, I tried to teach them everything I could think of because I didn’t know if I was going to live or die,” said Price’s mother. “I was just thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going to die.’ What I had to do, in my mind, I had to be strong enough to not worry and not let them see I was sick. I didn’t let them see when I was down.”
At that time, Price’s father, grandparents, and even uncle stepped in to take care of the children. However, Price was raised by his single mother. Now, she remains cancer-free and continues her work as a hospice care worker, a role she has held for over 18 years. But her strength to battle cancer is a core motivation for the Notre Dame RB’s football career and his resilience in recovering from his injuries, such as his 2022 Achilles rupture.
“I’ve seen how strong women can be, and that’s affected the way I treat women. I’m really big on that—treating women right,” said Price.
The ex-Notre Dame RB recorded his best games in high-profile matchups against Purdue, USC, and Navy during the 2025 season, where his mother was notably present. Following one of Price’s 11 rushing TDs, a video of Jessica being celebrated and “lifted up” by fans in the stands went viral.
The Notre Dame RB has been raised well
Jadarian Price always chose the right path, and he did so only because of his mother. Her sacrifice is the reason for Price’s maturity and work ethic.
“How many stories are there about a kid who had all this talent but couldn’t make good choices, couldn’t have good habits? Those are the stories about how they go down a dark road when it’s looking right at them,” said Chad Rogers, Price’s high school head coach. “He’s had all of that, but he continues to take care of business.”
Family tragedy also marked the RB’s upbringing; his mother lost two of her brothers to murder. Despite these hardships, she remained overprotective and focused on teaching him “right from wrong,” which helped him avoid the high crime rates in their hometown.
“His mom did a great job raising him,” said Rogers. “He’s loved. He’s had more stuff thrown at him than most kids his age and he still continues to be who he is and care for people.”
Now he is widely considered the No. 2 RB prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft class, trailing only his teammate Jeremiyah Love. Now we will see which team drafts the standout RB.
