Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman, a potential candidate for NFL coaching vacancies, will return to the Fighting Irish in 2026 with an enhanced contract, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Freeman, who is 43-12 in four seasons at Notre Dame, announced his return Monday on X, posting, “2026…run it back. Go Irish.”
2026…run it back
Go Irish ☘️
— Marcus Freeman (@Marcus_Freeman1) December 29, 2025
The 39-year-old former Ohio State linebacker was expected to be a strong candidate for NFL vacancies with the New York Giants and possibly other jobs. He guided Notre Dame to the CFP national championship game in January, and the Fighting Irish won their final 10 regular-season games this fall before being snubbed for the CFP, and finishing No. 11 in the final CFP standings. The team then elected to opt out of a bowl game.
Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua said earlier this month that Freeman is “the absolute best coach in the country for Notre Dame, full stop.” Bevacqua said the school was aware of the interest in Freeman and would do everything possible to secure his future. The new contract follows another enhanced deal for Freeman in December 2024. Sports Illustrated first reported the latest agreement for Freeman.
“One of my main obligations and responsibilities to this university is to make sure Marcus wakes up every day knowing that he is supported and valued by Notre Dame,” Bevacqua said Dec. 9. “And I can say with 100% certainty he feels that way, and Notre Dame is totally aligned around the importance of college football for Notre Dame. We’re totally aligned on how he is the perfect coach for Notre Dame.”
Bevacqua added that he views Freeman’s contract as a “living, breathing document” that will likely be revised every year.
“We feel blessed that he’s our coach,” Bevacqua said. “I make sure that he knows that he will be where he deserves to be, and that is at the top, top, top tier of college football coaches when it comes to compensation every year.”
Freeman came to Notre Dame as the school’s defensive coordinator in 2021 and then replaced Brian Kelly as head coach following Kelly’s departure to LSU. Before Notre Dame, Freeman worked at Cincinnati, Purdue and Kent State. He was an All-Big Ten linebacker at Ohio State under coach Jim Tressel, and a fifth-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft.
Notre Dame will bring back quarterback CJ Carr and others from the 2025 team, although it loses All-America running back Jeremiyah Love, who declared for the NFL draft, and several other standouts.