Marcus Freeman Could Reportedly Be On Verge Of Leaving Notre Dame
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Marcus Freeman won't be leaving the University of Notre Dame for another college job. Sorry, Michigan fans, but it's true. But could he be leaving the Fighting Irish for an NFL job?
It sounds possible – perhaps even likely.
The former Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker turned college football head coach is emerging as a "top" candidate for an NFL head coaching job. Multiple NFL jobs have already opened up, with the Titans firing Brian Callahan and the Giants firing Brian Daboll. Several more NFL jobs are expected to open up soon, too.
According to longtime NFL insider Mike Garafolo, Freeman is emerging as a frontrunner for the New York Giants job. The Giants, like Notre Dame, are one of the most storied jobs in all of football.
“Marcus Freeman mentioned as a guy that should be in their coaching search. Yes that is the case,” Garafolo reported. “I expect him to be the foremost among the college candidates.”
Freeman is 43-11 in four full years as the head coach at Notre Dame. He and the Fighting Irish just missed the College Football Playoff this year, after reaching the national title game last year, losing to Ohio State.
The Giants' search is expected to be widespread
While Freeman is emerging as a top candidate for the job, the Giants' search is expected to take a bit.
“As it pertains to NFL coaches, this is gonna be a widespread search because there’s no Ben Johnson, offensive play-caller, belle of the ball-type candidate in this cycle,” Garafolo explained.
“And a lot of head coaches are calling plays offensively as well, so that really dwindles down the offensive guys. I expect to see some defensive guys, some veteran coaches as well.”
Could we see Marcus Freeman on an NFL sideline next fall?
This story was originally published by The Spun on Dec 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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