Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame set to make bold move on Marcus Freeman amid NFL interest

By Jordan Sigler | Last updated Dec 10, 2025 9:47 AM ET

Full of bitter disappointment, No. 11 Notre Dame ended its season after 12 games, choosing not to play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl after being kept out of the College Football Playoff.

The Fighting Irish can better use the downtime to hit the transfer portal and recruiting trail to make the 2026 team a force the CFP selection committee cannot deny.

During his news conference on Tuesday, Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua suggested that retaining head coach Marcus Freeman is one of the Irish's greatest goals this offseason.

Via Pete Sampson of The Athletic:

"Pete Bevacqua on the possibility of Marcus Freeman departing for the NFL and matching other contract offers. Said Notre Dame will make sure Freeman is at the 'Top, top, top tier of college football coaches when it comes to compensation for college football coaches.'"

Pete Bevacqua on the possibility of Marcus Freeman departing for the NFL and matching other contract offers.

Said Notre Dame will make sure Freeman is at the "Top, top, top tier of college football coaches when it comes to compensation for college football coaches."
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) December 9, 2025

Notre Dame needs to keep Marcus Freeman

Most notably, Freeman has been linked to the New York Giants job opening and a potential job opening with the Pittsburgh Steelers (should head coach Mike Tomlin choose to leave after the season).

Freeman signed a four-year contract extension before Notre Dame's run to an appearance in the national championship in January. Given the state of the coaching carousel in 2025, programs seem willing to give an extension every year or so to high-performing coaches.

Freeman has been worth every penny the Irish invested in him since they promoted him from defensive coordinator to head coach in 2021.

Freeman is 43-12 during his time with the Irish. With an excellent recruiting class on the way, Notre Dame should be competing for national titles again in the near future.

Notre Dame appears to be doing everything in its power to get revenge on the ACC for its actions on social media in the final month of the regular season.

To get the best of the college football world in 2026, Freeman needs to be on the sidelines of Notre Dame Stadium instead of leading an NFL team.

Jordan Sigler

Jordan Sigler is a sports writer with a decade of experience as a journalist, including his time as a breaking news/day cops reporter for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. His sports coverage across the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, and college football world has also been featured at ChiCitySports, Gridiron Heroics, Pro Football Network, and Athlon Sports. Based in Austin, Texas, Jordan graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism from Texas Tech University in 2014

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