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Elected captain of the Fighting Irish football team his senior year, he won numerous collegiate awards, including consecutive consensus and unanimous All-American titles (1989 and 1990), United Press International’s Lineman of the Year (1989), Chevrolet’s College Defensive Player of the Year (1989), the Vince Lombardi Award (1990), MVP of the Orange Bowl (1991), and a member of Walter Camp’s College Football All-Century Team (2000). He was also instrumental in helping Notre Dame win the National Championship in 1988. Chris made history as part of Notre Dame football’s all-time winning streak with 23 games. He was also honored as a White House guest of former President Reagan and President Bush Sr., in recognition of his athletic accomplishments. In 2007, Chris was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, as one of the best defensive linemen to have ever played the collegiate game. Not only was he one of the youngest players to ever be inducted, he is only the third defensive lineman from tradition rich Notre Dame to call the College Football Hall of Fame home. Following his 1991 graduation from Notre Dame with a bachelor of arts in American Studies, Chris was drafted by Hall of Fame Coach Mike Ditka and the Chicago Bears football team. On the starting lineup, Chris averaged 100+ tackles per season, placing him among the league's best defensive linemen. In 1996, while still playing for the Bears, Chris started law school at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. Upon his release from the Chicago Bears, Zorich finished the 1997 season with the Washington Redskins. Chris retired from the NFL to finish his law degree at Notre Dame Law School in order to further his ability to help those in need. While at Notre Dame Law School, he served clients at the Notre Dame Legal Aid Clinic, a non-profit organization designed to provide free legal assistance to those with minimal resources. In 2002, Chris received his law degree. Upon graduation, he worked for the Chicago law firm of Schuyler Roche, P.C. for four years. While there, Chris worked in the Business Enterprise and Estate Management practice areas. He assisted in helping clients start, grow and maintain their careers, improve their businesses, establish and increase real estate ownership and manage their assets through health and wealth planning. Chris also held the titles of Community Outreach and Marketing Consultant for the law firm. In May of 2008, Chris became the Manager for Student Welfare & Development for the University of Notre Dame’s Athletic Department. In this position, Chris is responsible for directing the University’s summer sports camps along with developing and implementing life skills programs for all of the University’s student-athletes. Recognized for his fierce commitment on and off the playing field, Chris has received a score of athletic and community service awards including the following: selection as an alternate for the 1993 Pro Bowl, the 10th Anniversary "All-Madden Team," two-time NFL Man of the Year Finalist, the NFL Players Association's Byron "Whizzer" White Award for Community Service, USA Weekend's "Most Caring Athlete." Chris personally received the Jesse Owens Foundation’s "Humanitarian Award" from the family of the late Olympic great Jesse Owens as well as personally received Muhammad Ali’s limited commission "Humanitarian Award." He has also received honorary degrees from East West University, Northwestern Business College, St. Xavier University & Governors State University. Chris’ philanthropic and athletic endeavors have allowed him to cross the paths of various luminaries such as Bill Gates, Dr. Ben Carson, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Nobel Laureates Elie Wiesel and Al Gore, Oprah Winfrey, ret. General Norman Schwarzkopf, Presidential candidate Barack Obama, NASA astronaut Jim Lovell, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, CEO and Chairman of American Express Kenneth Chenault, and Presidents Regan, Bush Sr. and Clinton just to name a few. He has also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the Wheel of Fortune game show. In 2008, Chris was appointed to The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, an organization that serves as a watchdog group for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which seeks to reform various issues including recruiting, gender equity, academic eligibility, etc. Chris is also an active supporter of numerous community and civic organizations. He has served as a board member for various non-profit organizations including The Chicago Public Library, The Big Shoulders Fund, The Joffrey Ballet, Special Children's Charities, and Urban Prep Academies. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees at Lewis University and The Illinois College of Optometry. In 1993 The Christopher Zorich Foundation (www.chriszorich.org) was established to honor Chris’ mother, who passed away his senior year at Notre Dame. The Foundation's programs offer diverse community support:
These combined programs have assisted over 150,000 individuals. As a pioneer in his field, Chris was the first student-athlete in the history of the University of Notre Dame to start a scholarship at his alma mater. Since this initial undertaking, the University has received several million dollars for scholarships from former student-athletes. In 1998, The University of Notre Dame commissioned The Christopher Zorich Award to recognize the contributions of student-athletes to the University community and the community at-large. As a nationally acclaimed motivational speaker, Chris' story is well documented. He has been profiled in various media: The Oprah Winfrey Show, NBC's "EXTRA," ABC's "Good Morning America," TV Guide, Sports Illustrated, USA Weekend Magazine, Highlights for Children, PEOPLE Magazine, "Schwarzkopf's America"/NBC Nightly News and Reader's Digest. For three years, Chris co-hosted "Bears Extra," a live weekly television show dedicated to the Chicago Bears. He was also a TV analyst for Comcast SportsNet’s coverage of The Chicago Bears. For two years Chris hosted "PrepsPlus," the Midwest's highest-ranked high school sports television show. He has also moderated various town hall meetings on a variety of topics including race and gender issues, the influence of sports in our society and the influence of drugs on America’s youth. His ability to inspire and motivate has earned sponsorship associations and speaking opportunities with multiple Fortune 500 companies such as Coca-Cola, DirecTV, McDonald's Corporation, Northern Trust Bank, Reebok International, State Farm Insurance, Tribune Company, United Airlines and UNITEDhealthcare. Chris is an avid reader, with an extensive collection of over 2,500 books. He is also a 2006 graduate of Chopper College, which enabled him to build his own custom chopper motorcycle. Presently, Chris lives South Bend, IN with his two Rottweilers, Caesar and Maximus. 
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Born and raised on Chicago's impoverished southside, an only child of biracial descent (African American and Croatian), Chris was raised by his mother, Zora, a single parent surviving on $250/month from public aid. In 1987 Chris graduated from Chicago Vocational High School and received a football scholarship from legendary coach Lou Holtz and the University of Notre Dame.