Tennessee Titans News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates after a touchdown in the first half of a NCAA football game against Syracuse at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in South Bend. MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Titans Targeting Top College Football HC

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Mitchell Corcoran | Last updated Dec 24, 2025 3:28 PM ET

The Tennessee Titans are reportedly eyeing one of college football's top head coaches as their next head coach.

The Titans have started to look into Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Freeman has already linked to the New York Giants' head coaching opening, among other candidates, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported on Dec. 13. But Fowler has now reported that the Titans have "done their research" on Freeman, too.

"No teams have officially requested to speak with Freeman as of the last time I checked, but if Freeman wants to at least explore the possibility of the NFL via conversations with teams, he will have opportunities to do that," Fowler wrote. "Freeman will take the next few weeks to make that decision."

Although Freeman has not taken an official interview with any team yet, he is expected to be a hot name for some open positions, despite some coaches with ties to Freeman believing that he will stay at the college level, Fowler reported.

Freeman's Pedigree

Notre Dame is 43-12 in four seasons with Freeman as its head coach. The Fighting Irish appeared in the 2024 national championship game, but lost to Ohio State 34-24. Notre Dame finished this season 10-2 and just barely missed the College Football Playoff.

Freeman took over the Notre Dame job as the interim coach at the end of the 2021 season after former head coach Brian Kelly left for the LSU job. The Fighting Irish have finished each season under Freeman in the final top 25 of the CFP Poll and AP Poll.

Notre Dame has also produced a slew of NFL talent under Freeman. Eighteen players from 2022-25 have been drafted to the NFL, including stars like Kyren Williams, Kyle Hamilton and Joe Alt.

Freeman's Coaching Experience

Freeman has no NFL coaching experience and very little playing experience in the pros. He was selected in the fifth-round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, but had to medically retire in 2010 due to a heart condition.

Freeman began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Ohio State, where he was a four-year letter winner at linebacker. He was then the linebackers coach at Kent State before taking the same position at Purdue and was later promoted to co-defensive coordinator.

Freeman was then the defensive coordinator at Cincinnati from 2017-20 before becoming the Notre Dame defensive coordinator for one season in 2021.

Since the Titans are in the middle of a major rebuild, it might be worth taking a shot at the 39-year-old Freeman, who has risen quickly in the coaching ranks and has seen recent success.

Freeman may be a defensive-minded head coach, but that shouldn't prevent him from assisting in rookie quarterback Cam Ward's development.

The former No. 1-overall pick has looked impressive at times this season, totaling 2,866 yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions despite the team's 3-12 record.

Freeman helped redshirt freshman CJ Carr record 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, six interecptions and a top-10 QBR in his first season as a starter at Notre Dame.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: