Social media reacts to Marcus Freeman staying with Notre Dame

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It was a huge Monday for Notre Dame football, as head coach Marcus Freeman turned down the NFL to stay in South Bend.

There were multiple rumors about teams going after the Irish head coach, especially after the disappointing end to the year with missing the College Football Playoff. In the end, Freeman never reportedly took an interview and will continue his quest to win a championship for Notre Dame.

It can’t be understated how huge this news is, as Freeman has turned the program into what many thought he couldn’t, a perennial national championship contender. Last year was proof the Irish are close, and hopefully this season is motivation for 2026.

As social media always does, it was quick to react to the news. Here are some of the top reactions to Notre Dame retaining Marcus Freeman for at least another season.

It wasn’t just the New York Giants that wanted Freeman

Interesting that it was multiple teams that went after Freeman, as it was only really known that the New York Giants were interested. Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde had at least one other team who saw him as a good fit for their organization.

Not just a win for Notre Dame

College football won today, keeping one of its best away from the professional ranks. Notre Dame clearly is the biggest winner here, but this move sends waves across the top-levels of the game.

Was Freeman really in the market for the NFL

Was there ever really a true market for Freeman, anyone could say that they were interested. You have to wonder how he’ll react if he’s asked about this in a future press conference.

Marcus Freeman gets a big payday

Worth every penny. Give Freeman a blank check. Don’t let him leave South Bend.

Not sure Freeman has GOAT status quite yet

This might be a bit of an overreaction, but getting Freeman back is huge for the 2026 season. He’s the driving force behind the program and will have a loaded team next fall.

Could a national title be coming back to South Bend?

Get used to it, as long as Freeman is in South Bend, this is the new normal. Notre Dame should continue to contend for championships and should be one of the few teams that can actually win-it-all next fall.

Great timing by Marcus Freeman

With the transfer portal season coming up, having stability at the head coaching position is huge, and Notre Dame now has that. Players won’t have to worry if Freeman will leave after the window closes, as he’s already announced his return.

What does the future hold for Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame?

Driskell is one of the best on the Notre Dame beat, and hopefully his gut is wrong. You can’t deny his read on the situation, it has been back-to-back off-seasons dealing with Freeman potentially heading off to the NFL. Time will tell what ends up happening, but what we know now is that he’ll be coaching Notre Dame next fall.

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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Social media reacts to Marcus Freeman staying with Notre Dame for 2026

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