He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, twice earning consensus All-American honors.
[2][3] Lyght attended Powers Catholic High School in Flint, Michigan, where he lettered twice as a wide receiver and cornerback.
[citation needed] Lyght played collegiate football for the University of Notre Dame, where he was a two-time consensus All-American (1989 and 1990).
Lyght was named a starter for his sophomore season, and led team in tackles in the 1989 Fiesta Bowl win over West Virginia.
As a result, the 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was named the consensus national champion.
Lyght finished his college career with 161 tackles; caused one fumble; broke up 20.5 passes; had 11 interceptions for 55 return yards and one touchdown.
[6] On August 16, 1991, after a training camp holdout, Lyght signed a five-year $5.6 million deal that made him the second-highest paid player on the Rams.
In 1993, Lyght tied for team lead with two interceptions but suffered a knee injury in pregame drills on November 21 and was subsequently placed on injured reserve.
On December 29, 2002, Lyght set an NFL record for being the oldest player to return a blocked field goal for a touchdown (33 years, 323 days).
[9] [10] Lyght began a career in coaching in 2009, following several years of working in private business and as a football analyst on radio.
In 2011, Lyght joined the staff at the University of Oregon as a defensive intern under head coach Chip Kelly.
[13] In February 2015, Lyght was hired by the University of Notre Dame to replace Kerry Cooks as defensive backs coach.
Lyght established a series of scholarships at St. Mary's Elementary (Alexandria, Virginia), Powers Catholic High School, and the University of Notre Dame.