Marcus Freeman is currently in the midst of preparing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the national title game. But it sounds like there’s a chance that will be his last game with the team – at least, if one NFL team gets its way.
According to a report from NFL insider Tom Pelissero of The NFL Network, the Chicago Bears want to interview Marcus Freeman for their head coaching vacancy.
“I am told the team wants to interview Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman for the job,” Pelissero said on NFL Live on Sunday morning.
“Freeman is in the midst of a magical run with the Fighting Irish to the national championship game. Obviously it’s unlikely that he would entertain NFL overtures prior to that game a week from tomorrow against Ohio State. But the Bears have done extensive research for months on Marcus Freeman. He’s only 39 years old (and it) would not be a shock, if at some point he at least considers going to the NFL.”
Freeman has been the head coach at Notre Dame since taking over after the departure of Brian Kelly back in 2021.
After a strong four seasons with the Fighting Irish, Notre Dame gave Freeman a long-term contract extension earlier this season, which could complicate a potential move to the NFL, as Freeman himself pointed out during a recent press conference.
“I don’t know when they announced it, I can’t remember, but about a week or two ago, they announced another long contract here at Notre Dame,” Freeman said, alluding to his extension according to On3. “So, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”
However, this does not rule out the possibility of Freeman leaving Notre Dame. The Bears would not be so interested in interviewing Freeman if they were not willing to pay to buy him out of his current contract with Notre Dame, so that contract does not seem to be as much of a roadblock as Freeman would seem to indicate.
We’ll have to see how this whole situation materializes. But first, Freeman will be coaching in a title game.
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