Bears’ thorough coaching search could include Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman

Last updated: 2025/01/13 at 1:32 AM

BigP Published January 13, 2025

Could the Chicago Bears be looking just an hour-and-a-half east for their next head coach?

Chicago is seeking an interview with Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman to fill its head-coaching vacancy, according to NFL Network. Freeman’s potential interest in the position is unknown, with Notre Dame having extended its head coach last month.

Freeman, 39, is in his third full season as Notre Dame’s head coach. The program has gone 33-9 under him in that time (Freeman first coached Notre Dame in its bowl game during the 2021 season after being promoted in the wake of Brian Kelly leaving to coach the LSU Tigers).

The Fighting Irish are gearing up to play the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 20. They previously beat the Penn State Nittany Lions, Georgia Bulldogs and Indiana Hoosiers in the CFP.

Chicago is one of five NFL teams still seeking a new head coach, with the New England Patriots (Mike Vrabel) being the only one to hire a new coach thus far. The Bears, who went 5-12 this season, are in the midst of a thorough search, which has seen them interview Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, among many others.

Freeman played linebacker for Ohio State (2004-08) and was selected by the Bears in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Urban Meyer praises Marcus Freeman for driving Notre Dame’s success

After one season in the NFL, Freeman was a graduate assistant at Ohio State (2010) and then linebackers coach at Kent State (2011-12). He was later linebackers coach and then co-defensive coordinator at Purdue (2013-16), defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at Cincinnati (2017-20) and Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2021 before being promoted to head coach.

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