Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman is expected to remain in his post, despite reported interest from several NFL franchises with head coaching vacancies, sources have confirmed to ESPN.
NFL Interest Fails to Lure Freeman Away
The number of NFL teams searching for a new head coach expanded to nine this week after the Pittsburgh Steelers confirmed Mike Tomlin's departure. They join a list that includes the New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, and Atlanta Falcons.
However, Marcus Freeman, 40, appears uninterested in pursuing any professional opportunities at this time. He has spent just four full seasons leading the prestigious college programme, a tenure that included guiding Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in 2024. The team was controversially omitted from the playoff this past season, leading to a boycott of the college postseason.
Resolving Off-Field Allegations
Freeman's name has recently been in the headlines for reasons beyond football. He was involved in an incident on January 3 at Mishawaka High School, where he was attending his son's wrestling match.
New Prairie high assistant coach Chris Fleeger alleged that Freeman shoved him. Fleeger told Mishawaka police he recognised the coach, remarked he was 'rich,' and stated he would hire an attorney.
However, the investigation took a turn when police received conflicting accounts from two of Fleeger's acquaintances. Crucially, video evidence from the scene did not support the assault claim. The St. Joseph's County prosecutor's office subsequently declined to file any criminal charges.
'After reviewing the investigation, the Prosecutor's Office has determined that no criminal battery occurred,' an official statement read. 'The State would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime occurred.'
University and Family Standing Firm
Notre Dame officials issued a robust defence of their coach in the wake of the accusation, asserting that video evidence completely cleared him. The university stated that Freeman and his wife Joanna had intervened to remove their son, Vinny, from a situation where he was being verbally accosted by a coach.
'At no point did Coach Freeman physically engage with anyone,' the Notre Dame statement emphasised. 'We believe the police report, which includes video evidence, fully exonerates Coach Freeman.'
Freeman's 17-year-old son, Vinny, is a standout wrestler for Penn High and has committed to joining the Ivy League, where he will compete for Cornell University beginning in the 2026-27 academic year.
With the legal matter concluded and his commitment to Notre Dame reaffirmed, Marcus Freeman can now focus entirely on rebuilding the Fighting Irish's football programme for the coming season, free from the distraction of NFL speculation.
