Marcus Freeman is staying put. Despite significant NFL interest and plenty of noise around his name, Notre Dame’s head coach is expected to remain in South Bend through 2026, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Irish won that battle. But some of his assistants aren’t on the same boat, and now it’s starting to sting.

This week, multiple reports confirmed Notre Dame LBs coach Al Washington is leaving to join the Miami Dolphins, reuniting with Jeff Hafley. The move, first floated in The Independent a day earlier, adds another crack to a staff that’s quietly being picked apart. Marcus Freeman might be staying, but the NFL keeps calling everyone around him.

Al Washington’s exit is especially disruptive because of the timing. He had just been moved from DL coach to LBs after Michigan State got hold of Max Bullough as their co-DC. That’s two coaches gone. Notre Dame brought in Chris Partridge to handle the D-line, sliding Washington over to stabilize the second level. Now, that plan has already been scrapped, as continuity didn’t even make it to spring. 

This move isn’t random. Al Washington is a Boston College alum joining a Dolphins staff built on familiar ground. Hafley, the former Boston College head coach, is taking over in Miami, with Sean Duggan, another BC product and a former Washington player, slotted for a prominent defensive role. And this isn’t the first time Freeman has watched familiarity win out.

Marcus Freeman and Washington go back to 2017 at Cincinnati. When Freeman became Notre Dame’s head coach in December 2021, Washington was one of his top defensive targets. He landed him despite competition from Tennessee, and right after Washington exited Ryan Day’s Ohio State staff. Now, this departure is part of a pattern the Irish can’t afford to ignore anymore. 

Just last week, Marcus Freeman suffered a fourth coaching blow. CBs coach Mike Mickens left for the Baltimore Ravens. The news stung because Mickens had built a reputation as one of the best secondary coaches in college football. He developed players like Ben Morrison, Leonard Moore, and Christian Gray. Add Washington to Miami, and suddenly Notre Dame is staring at a tough reality. Every single defensive position group will have a new coach in 2026. 

There have been smaller losses, too, but they still matter. Assistant WRs coach Dom Spalding is also heading to Michigan State to reunite with his brother, according to On3. It’s another short tenure ending early, and another reunion tied back to Bullough. Losing a rising young assistant may not be catastrophic, but it adds to the churn.

Meanwhile, FootballScoop reports that multiple NFL teams, including the Ravens, have checked in on special teams coordinator Marty Biagi, the 2024 Coordinator of the Year. Strength coach Loren Landow, a former NFL performance head, is also drawing interest depending on future NFL hires. All of this is happening while Marcus Freeman’s own future has been under a microscope.

Notre Dame succeeds in retaining Marcus Freeman 

Marcus Freeman received an enhanced contract last month, yet was still linked to NFL jobs, including the New York Giants. At 39, he has already taken Notre Dame to a CFP National Championship game and won 10 straight regular-season games last fall.

This past season, the Irish were snubbed in the playoffs in favor of Miami, which went on to make a national championship appearance. 

AD Pete Bevacqua didn’t mince words, calling Marcus Freeman “the absolute best coach in the country for Notre Dame, full stop,” while acknowledging the NFL interest. Notre Dame did its part at the top. Now comes the harder question. How many more staff losses can Notre Dame absorb before it shows up on Saturdays?