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Marcus Freeman inherited a favorable situation at Notre Dame football following the prosperous Brian Kelly era, but the young head coach has infused needed enthusiasm into the program. He exudes passion, and his team follows suit. Although going from college to the NFL is a risky endeavor — just ask Urban Meyer and Nick Saban — natural leadership skills will always appeal to executives. Therefore, it is easy to see why the 39-year-old was a coveted HC candidate for several teams.
Before Freeman affirmed his commitment to Notre Dame, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and Tennessee Titans all had internal discussions about him, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Offense regularly takes priority in the modern NFL, but these organizations clearly believe the right defensive mind can transform their respective cultures.
Both the Giants and Titans fired their head coaches during the season, so their reported interest makes perfect sense. The former thrived under a physical, hard-hitting brand of football, and the latter has a thin roster that could use a fire-starter. It is quite notable that Pittsburgh and Cleveland were considering Freeman, however.
The Browns could part ways with Kevin Stefanski after consecutive last-place finishes in the AFC North, and the former Ohio State linebacker stands out as a nice match for a Myles Garrett-led defense. A new leader who can reinvigorate the locker room while also maintaining the same defensive emphasis could be exactly what Cleveland desires.
The same logic applies to the Steelers. They probably would not want to dramatically reinvent the franchise, but an energizing force like Marcus Freeman could be what ownership visualizes for the next iteration of Black and Gold. Russini reported that Pittsburgh saw him as a potential backup plan in the event that Mike Tomlin “decided to step away.”
It appears that none of these franchises will have the opportunity to hire Freeman this year. Barring an abrupt shift, he will coach the Fighting Irish for what could be a revenge-fueled 2026-27 campaign.
His continued presence in South Bend means there will likely not be a “golden boy” in the upcoming head coaching cycle. How will everyone pivot? Stay tuned.
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