The Chicago Bears are shaking things up in their search for a new head coach, and their latest target is turning heads—Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Bears are interested in Freeman, who’s having an incredible run with the Fighting Irish. With a 33-9 record and a trip to the national championship game, it's easy to see why he’s on their radar.
The Bears are looking to interview Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman for their HC opening, per @TomPelissero. pic.twitter.com/fjujUFyVKW
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) January 12, 2025
Freeman’s journey has been impressive. He’s known for his sharp defensive mind and the way he motivates his team both on and off the field. While he doesn’t have any NFL coaching experience, his leadership and results make him a strong candidate for a shot at the pros. That said, Freeman seems pretty locked into Notre Dame after signing a big contract extension that’s supposed to keep him around for several more years.
So, Irish fans can probably breathe a little easier—at least for now.
As for the Bears, it looks like they’re aiming to hit reset after a rough season that led to Matt Eberflus getting the boot. They’ve got some key pieces, including a potential star quarterback in Caleb Williams, but they need the right coach to bring it all together. Freeman could be the perfect fit—or he might decide to keep building his legacy in college football.
Right now, Freeman’s focused on the national championship game. Whether he makes the jump to the NFL or stays put in South Bend is anyone’s guess, but for now, we'll just have to wait.
Freeman and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes on Monday, January 20th in the national championship game. It's highly unlikely that he will interview for the position before the game is played, so it could still be another week or two before we have anything conclusive.