NFL teams that were interested in Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman should cross him off their list of head-coaching targets.
On Monday, Freeman indicated he will remain at Notre Dame in 2026 despite being a trending name in the upcoming NFL hiring cycle.
“2026… run it back,” Freeman wrote on X. “Go Irish.”
Shortly before Freeman’s tweet, Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde shared that Notre Dame has confirmed that it has agreed to a restructured contract with Freeman. The terms of the deal remain unclear, but his compensation now places him in the “top tier” of college coaches.
In December 2024, Freeman signed a six-year contract. The revision adds one more year to his deal, keeping him in South Bend, Ind., through the 2031 season.
Which NFL teams were reportedly interested in Marcus Freeman?
Freeman piqued the interest of the New York Giants (3-13) and the Tennessee Titans (3-13). Tennessee fired former head coach Brian Callahan after Week 6, replacing him with interim Mike McCoy. New York, meanwhile, fired Brian Daboll after Week 10, replacing him with interim Mike Kafka.
Both teams feature rookie quarterbacks, Jaxson Dart (Giants) and Cam Ward (Titans), who could benefit from working with 39-year-old Freeman. But now that he’s spurned the NFL, both clubs should pursue offensive-minded coaches instead, perhaps Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak or Washington Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury.
Is returning to Notre Dame the right decision for Marcus Freeman?
Coaching in the NFL is the ultimate goal for coaches. Freeman, however, probably felt he wasn’t ready to make that jump, considering that many successful college coaches have bombed in the pros.
Look at Nick Saban, a seven-time national champion. Before becoming Alabama Crimson Tide HC, he served as Miami Dolphins HC from 2005-06, going 15-17.
Freeman — who made more than $7.4M in 2023, per ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg — has a good thing going at Notre Dame. Since becoming Fighting Irish HC in 2021, he’s gone 43-12, leading the program to one national championship appearance.
This season, Notre Dame went 10-2, just missing the College Football Playoff. The school opted not to play in its bowl game, a controversial move.
Notre Dame can move past that if it makes the CFP in 2026. And now that Freeman has made it clear he plans to stay, it has a much better chance of achieving that objective.
