There has been some talk about Marcus Freeman possibly wanting to be the Chicago Bears’ next head coach or even returning to Ohio State if that job became available. However, it always seemed more like speculation than anything serious.
That changed when Freeman spoke about the continued investments Notre Dame has been making in him and the football program.
On Sunday, the decision-makers at Notre Dame made another important investment—this time in Freeman himself.
Inside ND Sports confirmed reports from NBC and ESPN that Freeman signed a four-year contract extension, making him one of the highest-paid college coaches. With the two years left on his initial contract, Freeman is now signed through the 2030 season.
Freeman expressed his gratitude for the support of the people at Notre Dame, including the Board of Trustees, President Fr. Bob Dowd, C.S.C., and Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua. In a statement, he said,
“The investment they continue to pour into our program is invaluable to our student-athletes and staff. This commitment goes well beyond myself, as they are dedicated to ensuring all aspects of our program are competitive within the upper echelon of college football.”
The exact terms of the financial details were not revealed.
Freeman, who is an Ohio State graduate and turns 39 next month, has a record of 30-9 as Notre Dame’s head coach since taking over as defensive coordinator in December 2021, following Brian Kelly.
The Irish, with an 11-1 record, are ranked fifth and seeded seventh, and they are hosting the 10th-seeded Indiana (11-1) on Friday night for a College Football Playoff first-round game.
Freeman has often mentioned the various aspects of support that make the Notre Dame job so appealing.
One of these is the Jack and Kathy Shields Family Hall, a 150,000-square-foot football support facility that was announced in April. It is under construction and will open in the fall of 2026.
There are other factors, too, such as Notre Dame’s ability to compete in the NIL space, thanks to a media rights deal negotiated this year.
This deal ensures that Notre Dame can compete financially with programs in the Big Ten and SEC when it comes to hiring assistant coaches and building facilities.
The university has also invested in keeping Freeman as head coach, as well as in retaining two of the best coordinators in college football: Mike Denbrock (offensive coordinator) and Al Golden (defensive coordinator), both of whom were kept on staff last winter.
Additionally, Notre Dame has found ways to balance its admissions and transfer portal policies, giving Freeman and his staff more flexibility in pursuing recruits while still maintaining the school’s academic standards.
Freeman’s main motivation continues to be his players, both current and former. He stated at a press conference on December 6, 2021, “My current and former players, you are my ‘why.’ You are my motivation.
You are the reason I get up every day and work as hard as I can to see you all reach your goals. To see you all set a goal and live out a dream is what gives me my inspiration every day to do what I do.”
In the same press conference, super-senior nose guard Kurt Hinish shared that Freeman’s care for his players is what made him stand out. Hinish said that Freeman cares more about his players as people than as athletes. He added that in the coaching industry, that level of care is rare.
Hinish, one of the Irish captains, even told then-athletic director Jack Swarbrick not to “screw up” the coaching search when Freeman was being considered for the role.
