Giants Interested In Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman?

The Athletic’s Dan Duggan also mentions Freeman as a possibility for the Giants if the interest is mutual. Giants director of player personnel Tim McDonnell, who is owner John Mara‘s nephew and has an influential voice in the building, worked at Notre Dame for eight years. 

The coaching cycle this year isn’t viewed as particularly strong, which could lead some teams to get creative and explore different options, like hiring a coach from the lower level. 

Freeman cropped up last year in connection with the Bears’ head coaching vacancy but so far has shown little interest in leaving the program he’s built at Notre Dame. 

Freeman, 40, played linebacker at Ohio State and was drafted by the Bears in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. However, he was cut as a rookie and never appeared in an NFL game. 

He transitioned into coaching and had stops at Ohio State, Kent State and Purdue before landing at Cincinnati as the defensive coordinator. From there, he joined Notre Dame as the defensive coordinator in 2021 and was promoted to head coach the following season. 

In four years at Notre Dame, Freeman has a record of 40-12 with two bowl appearances, one College Football Playoff berth and a finish as national runner-ups in 2024.