J.L. Canfora of Sportsboom believes that Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman will be one of the top head coaching candidates next offseason in the NFL, regardless of what type of record his team posts in the collegiate ranks this season.
“He’s an incredibly impressive candidate,” one anonymous NFL exec told La Canfora after his team looked into hiring Freeman last season.
Previously, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Freeman is still expected to return to the college ranks for the 2026 season.
However, La Canfora notes that Freeman impressed several teams during his interviews, including the Giants, and will garner interest despite his earlier stated intention to return to the Fighting Irish.
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 43-12 with two bowl appearances, one College Football Playoff berth, and a national runner-up finish in 2024.
Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on X.com and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!
