The Notre Dame Fighting Irish fans are already riding a rollercoaster with the biggest playoff drama of the season. Things just got ten times crazier. Head coach Marcus Freeman’s name is now swirling in the coaching carousel. No, not in college football, but for a $30 million NFL job. But Freeman finally broke his silence.

“What about you?” asked the host on the Today show on December 2. “Are you going to stay put?”

“Oh yeah!” Freeman made his intentions clear with a shy smile. 

After some tense days, Notre Dame fans could finally breathe.

After the LSU Tigers promoted Verge Ausberry to athletic director, Freeman’s name began swirling in Baton Rouge thanks to his personal connection with Ausberry, the father of Freeman’s linebacker Jaiden Ausberry. But with Lane Kiffin now as head coach, all that buzz around Freeman has quietly fizzled.

This time, the pro league chose to torment them a little. The Giants have hit 2-11 for the second straight season, leading to the firing of coach Brian Daboll after a Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears. 

On a recent episode of the New York Post’s Blue Rush podcast, Giants insider Paul Schwartz spotlighted the team’s respect for the old defensive ace. Sources revealed that Freeman’s bold, player-empowering style is turning heads in the NFL. They offered him a rumored contract of around $30 million to bring him on board. 

His rapid ascent and innovative play-calling particularly wow the Giants’ staff. Finally, Freeman brought an end to the fans’ anxiety.

“It’s gratitude for me. Reminds me of the honor that I have to be in the position,” said Freeman on the December 2 episode of the New York Post Sports podcast. 

Freeman capped his fourth regular season in South Bend with a 43-12 record, taking over after Brian Kelly bolted for LSU. His late-2024 extension increased his annual salary from $7 million to $9 million, bringing his total deal value to over $54 million. It’s paying back well. 

Notre Dame is gearing up for a blockbuster 2026 recruiting haul, with four five-star talents ready to put pen to paper on National Signing Day. According to On3’s 2026 Team Recruiting Rankings, Freeman and co. rank second with 27 recruits locked in. 

How is the head coach affecting the program’s culture?

Marcus Freeman’s wins and losses in the 2025 run

Freeman has driven Notre Dame to a 10-2 season. Unfortunately, for 11 games, Notre Dame couldn’t keep opponents out of the end zone. For most of the Stanford Cardinal’s matchup, it looked like that streak was finally dead.

Notre Dame rolled into the fourth quarter up 42-6, having allowed only a pair of field goals. But in the last frame, Stanford rained on their hopes with a pair of late touchdowns.

The vibe in South Bend has to be sour right now. Notre Dame throttled Stanford 49-20 on the road, only to get bumped down to No. 10 while the Alabama Crimson Tide leapfrogged them to No. 9. The one thing keeping the Irish from total meltdown? Marcus Freeman looks locked in.