NFL teams still covet Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman, per report
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NFL teams know what Marcus Freeman announced less than 2 weeks ago.
But Freeman’s assurance back on Dec. 29 that he was staying on as head coach at Notre Dame in 2026 apparently hasn’t turned NFL teams away from the idea of having Freeman as their head coach next fall.
Freeman even took to his social media that day to make the big, bold announcement that, contrary to all of the rumors about his interest in the NFL, he wasn’t going anywhere.
“2026…run it back. Go Irish,” wrote Freeman, who even made sure to add the shamrock emoji to his social media post.
That calmed the nerves of Notre Dame fans everywhere about Freeman’s status for 2026, but now here comes some fresh rumors, according to NFL.com insider Ian Rapoport on Sunday morning, that Freeman is still being coveted by NFL teams.
“Remember on Dec. 29, it was all the way (back) to last year, Marcus Freeman, the Notre Dame coach, put out a statement … and every NFL team that covets him basically ignored that,” said Rapoport, who also clarified during his Sunday morning report that Freeman received a contract adjustment from Notre Dame, not an extension.
“These teams who viewed him highly still believe there’s a chance he comes to the NFL,” Rapoport added. “They still believe he’s a top-tier candidate. Marcus Freeman still looms large in the NFL coaching carousel.”
Maybe Freeman needs to put out another statement reaffirming that he’s staying at Notre Dame, or just maybe Rapoport’s report nailed the truth, that Freeman is still out there as a head coaching candidate for an NFL team in 2026.
Time will tell, of course.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
