Notre Dame announced no official position regarding head coach Marcus Freeman’s future, but NFL sources indicate he’s emerging as a potential candidate for teams expecting coaching changes.
The New York Jets could face a coaching vacancy if Aaron Glenn struggles in his second season. Glenn took over defensive play-calling duties after the Jets’ defense failed to record a single interception last season.
League insider Jason La Canfora reported that Freeman remains on NFL radars following significant interest from multiple organizations.
“With Jets head coach Aaron Glenn among those considered to be on the hottest of seats, it would not be shocking for [Freeman] to be a prime candidate. The New York Giants were among the teams to do significant work assessing how interested Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman would be in joining their organization over the winter.”
The Giants weren’t alone in their pursuit. Other NFL organizations conducted similar evaluations of Freeman’s interest level, according to league sources.
La Canfora expects the Freeman speculation to intensify this November.
“There is an expectation in front offices around the NFL that this process will begin anew in November, in an even more robust manner, especially with Freeman yet to send an overt public signal that he isn’t open to giving the NFL a try.”
Glenn’s defensive background helped him secure the Jets position after coordinating Detroit’s defense. His unit’s failure to generate turnovers has created pressure entering the 2025 season.
Freeman’s situation at Notre Dame remains unresolved after the Fighting Irish missed College Football Playoff selection despite a strong season.
NBC Reporter Expects Freeman to Stay
Kathryn Tappen, Notre Dame’s on-field reporter for NBC broadcasts, believes Freeman won’t leave until he wins a national championship.
“Marcus is probably getting, I don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors, but I’m sure there are a lot of teams that were interested and probably wanted to make an offer to him. But he believes in Notre Dame. I love that he stands by this program.”
Tappen added her expectation that Freeman will achieve that goal.
“I think, quite frankly, Marcus is not going to leave Notre Dame until he wins a national title, and he probably will.”
The NFL’s track record with college coaches remains mixed. Championship-winning coaches like Urban Meyer and Nick Saban struggled in professional football despite college success.
Freeman’s window could open if CJ Carr develops into the quarterback Notre Dame needs for a title run. Success this fall would position Freeman as a premium NFL candidate when the hiring cycle begins.
NFL teams typically prefer candidates with professional experience, but Freeman’s defensive background and recruiting ability have generated sustained interest across multiple hiring cycles.
