The Chicago Bears are in need of a new full-time head coach after firing Matt Eberflus earlier this season, and it sounds like they are targeting one prominent college head coach.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero of The NFL Network reports that the Chicago Bears are interested in interviewing Marcus Freeman for their head coaching position.
“I am told the team wants to interview Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman for the job,” Pelissero reported on NFL Live 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 served as Notre Dame’s head coach since stepping in after Brian Kelly’s departure in 2021. Notre Dame rewarded Freeman with a long-term contract extension earlier this season. This 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 of potentially leaving for the NFL via On3. “So, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”
However, this doesn’t entirely eliminate the possibility that the Bears could hire him. The Bears are well aware of Freeman’s new contract and the fact that they are still interested in pursuing him suggests they may be prepared to pay the buyout required to release him from his current contract.
So far, the Bears have interviewed Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel – though Vrabel was just hired by the New England Patriots.
We’ll have to see whether or not Freeman emerges as a real possibility.
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