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Marcus Freeman Makes His Stance on NFL Jobs Clear Amid Bears' Interest

Freeman says he hasn't put much thought into an NFL leap yet.

Blake Silverman

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Freeman arrives at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for the 2025 CFP National Championship game.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Freeman arrives at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for the 2025 CFP National Championship game. / Gerald Leong/CFP Images via Imagn Images
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The Chicago Bears are interested in interviewing Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman for their head coaching vacancy according to a Jan. 12 report from NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Freeman has yet to give the NFL much thought yet, though, as his Fighting Irish are in Atlanta preparing to play the Ohio State Buckeyes for the national championship Monday.

On Saturday, Notre Dame and Ohio State took part in media day ahead of their showdown in the College Football Playoff national championship game, where Freeman was asked about the NFL rumors.

“The reality is, with team success comes individual recognition,” Freeman told reporters Saturday via the Chicago Sun-Times. “To hear that the Bears have interest, it’s humbling. It’s the NFL. It’s also a reminder that with team success comes individual success.

"I have put zero thought into coaching in the NFL. All my attention has just been getting this team prepared.”

Pelissero's report mentioned that the Bears have done extension research on Freeman for months and it would not be a shock if the 39-year-old considers an NFL leap at some point.

Whether that time is now, though, will have to wait a few days until Notre Dame's season is complete. In the meantime, the Bears have cast a wide net to find their next head coach after the team parted with Matt Eberflus during the season.

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Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.

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