Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said he has put “zero thought” into coaching in the NFL despite reported interest this week from the Chicago Bears.
Speaking on Saturday at media day for the College Football Playoff national championship, Freeman told reporters in Atlanta he has been too busy preparing for his team’s matchup against Ohio State on Monday to think about an NFL future.
“To hear that the Bears have interest, it’s humbling,” Freeman said. “It’s the NFL. But it’s also a reminder of with team success comes individual success.
“I have put zero thought into coaching in the NFL. All my attention has just been on getting this team prepared for every opportunity we have in front of us.”
NFL Network reported earlier in the week that the Bears were interested in interviewing Freeman for their vacant head coaching job.
Freeman, 39, would be the latest entry into a lengthy list of candidates that have spanned the NFL and college ranks. The Bears have interviewed at least 15 coaches and have reported interest in a handful of others. Most recently, an ESPN report Saturday said the Bears inquired about trading for Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, an idea the Steelers rebuffed.
Freeman was named the Notre Dame coach in December 2021 after one season as the Irish defensive coordinator. He has gone 33-9 as their coach, including 14-1 this season. The former Ohio State linebacker, whom the Bears drafted in the fifth round in 2009, previously was a coordinator or position coach for Cincinnati, Purdue and Kent State.
The Bears possible interest in Freeman was speculated about in December. But Freeman then signed a multiyear contract extension with Notre Dame last month that would keep him in South Bend, Ind., through 2030 and is believed to be among the most lucrative for a college coach without a national title, according to The Athletic.