Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman comments on Chicago Bears rumors
The Chicago Bears need a head coach. Current Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is rumored to be in the running for the vacancy left by the firing of Matt Eberflus late last month according to multiple credible sources, most notable NFL insider Peter Schrager of Fox Sports.
Blue & Gold asked Freeman about that situation on Sunday.
“With team success comes individual success, but that’s nothing that has took any of my attention away from preparing for these playoffs,” Freeman said.
Notre Dame (11-1) was named the No. 7 seed in the College Football Playoff on Sunday. The Fighting Irish will host No. 10 seed Indiana (11-1) at Notre Dame Stadium on Friday, Dec. 20. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Freeman’s Sunday comment is not a far departure — nor a downright denial — from what Freeman said in response to a Blue & Gold question on Nov. 21 asking him about being linked to the upcoming NFL head coach hiring cycle. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler were the first reporters to put his name out there.
This is what Freeman said about his name being mentioned back then.
“I think it’s just an example of what I tell our players every day; with team glory and with team success comes individual recognition and individual glory. And I know and everybody, hopefully, in this program understands that without everybody in this program accomplishing their roles that we’re not going to achieve the success that we want on the football field on Saturday. And so when you do do your job, and everybody gets their job done and you have success, there are going to be certain individuals each week, certain parts of the year, that have individual recognition and individual glory.
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“But I know, and we know that, listen, I mean, it takes us all to achieve the success that we aspire to have. And so that, to me, is reflection — your name is floating out there, and it’s a reflection of how this program is playing and performing every day and on Saturdays.
“As for me, I ever never even — I try not to waste time thinking about an uncertain future. I tell our players and all the time, your future is uncertain. So I try not to waste time thinking about things that aren’t in the moment. And so I haven’t spent any time really thinking about what the future will provide.
“Do I ever want to coach in the NFL? I have no clue. I don’t even know what that entails really right now because I’ve never done it. But I’m just focused on staying here in the present and getting this team ready to have a great Thursday practice and hopefully putting in the work to achieve the outcome that we want on Saturday.”
Freeman, 38, has a record of 30-9 in his first three seasons as Notre Dame’s head coach. He took over for Brian Kelly starting with the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Day 2022. He lost that game to Oklahoma State, but he’s improved the Irish’s record in every season and is 2-0 in bowl games since then.
