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In 2025, strong rumors emerged placing Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman as a serious candidate to land with an NFL franchise.
The speculation was particularly intense around the New York Giants, who, after the dismissal of Brian Daboll, were urgently searching for their new head coach. Although none of those rumors ultimately materialized, Freeman's name remained part of the conversation for most of the coaching cycle.
With that level of attention surrounding Freeman, the Fighting Irish decided to secure him with a lucrative contract designed to prevent any second thoughts about leaving the college game to pursue a future in the professional ranks.
Yet Marcus Freeman leaves the door open to the NFL
As the saying goes, never say never, because circumstances can change and lead people to places and situations they once swore they would never reach. Freeman leaned on that same philosophy when discussing what the future might hold.
For now, he has said no to the NFL, but he has also left the door slightly open for the future. At the moment he enjoys the full confidence of Notre Dame's leadership, but what would happen if circumstances were to shift?
It seems unlikely that such a change would occur anytime soon, yet the possibility cannot be completely ruled out. For that reason, Freeman prefers to remain neutral and avoid giving a definitive rejection to a scenario that could eventually present itself.
Marcus Freeman appeared on Thursday's March 5, 2026 episode of Good Morning Football on NFL Network, where he spoke candidly about the possibility of one day coaching at the professional level.
Never say never.
Direct and to the point, without hesitation. Marcus left the possibility open for the future. He is still young and does not want to close doors abruptly. At the same time, he also made sure to emphasize how he currently feels about his job.
[Coaching Notre Dame is] "the best job in America.
When rumors had already linked him strongly with New York or Tennessee, the two destinations most frequently mentioned, Freeman stepped forward on December 29, 2025 to clarify his position and reaffirm his commitment.
2026...Run it back.
During a press conference on January 14, 2026, he reinforced that same sentiment about continuing his work at Notre Dame.
Do I want to be? I mean, I don't really-I've never done it. I don't know enough about it. Maybe sometime in the future, if it's the right time and it's what I think is right for me, then maybe I'll pursue it. But I don't love wasting time thinking about things that aren't right in front of me. So, I don't know what I'll want in however much length of time from now. I don't know. But I know right now that I am as convicted and motivated to being the best head coach of the Notre Dame football program as I can be.
With the new contract he signed, Freeman has become one of the highest-paid coaches in the NCAA, earning at least $10 million per season.