Marcus Freeman Emerges As Overwhelming Favorite To Land NFL Coaching Job
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Have we seen the last of Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame? The latest odds from Vegas seem to indicate that he's done with the Fighting Irish.
Since taking over for Notre Dame in 2022, Freeman has owned a 43-12 record. The program made it to the national championship game under his command last season. At 39 years old, there's no question his stock is soaring. The question is whether or not he's ready to take the leap and coach in the NFL.
As of this week, SportsBetting.ag has Freeman as the odds-on favorite (-200) to be the next head coach of the New York Giants. Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has the second-best odds (+500) to get the job.
Freeman has been linked to the G-Men ever since they fired Brian Daboll in November. According to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, the Giants hold Notre Dame's coach in high regard.
“You know, the Notre Dame coach,” Schwartz said, via Giants Wire. “I saw we had a picture of him. I know there is some high regard for him in the Giants building.”
When asked about New York's job opening last month, Freeman tried his best to silence all the rumors.
“I feel like it’s necessary, I do. A lot of times in things I say to the team, it may come out in terms of, a great example, is, ‘What’s the noise you’re putting in your head?’ Just because the noise in somebody else’s head is one thing, doesn’t mean it has to be your noise,” Freeman said, via One Foot Down. “And so, as I told them, I’m sure I’ve said before, like just because somebody else might be saying my name’s up for whatever job or being considered, that isn’t the noise that I’m going to put in my head or I need, that ain’t my noise.”
NFL vs. Notre Dame.
Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua is well aware of the fact that Freeman will draw interest from NFL teams sooner or later. That being said, he's prepared to make a very lucrative offer to keep his coach around for the foreseeable future.
"I can say with 100% certainty he feels that way [valued], and Notre Dame is totally aligned around the importance of college football for Notre Dame," Bevacqua said. "I make sure that he knows that he will be where he deserves to be, and that is at the top, top, top tier of college football coaches when it comes to compensation every year."
If Freeman receives an offer from the Giants that's too good to pass up, Notre Dame would be in a tough spot for the 2026 season. After all, most of the top coaches in college football have accepted offers already.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Dec 9, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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