The Giants aren’t the only team linked to Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman

NFL teams interest in Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is spreading, and that’s not all New York Giantswho are tied at 2-13 for a league-worst record, are interested in the 39-year-old’s services. The Giants fired Brian Daboll after a 24-20 Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears. Doc New York was the first franchise to be publicly linked to Freemanthe only other team currently sharing the head coaching vacancy is also oversees it: Tennessee Titans, according to ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler. The Titans decided to move on Brian Callahan after a 20-10 Week 6 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

“Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman’s name has been thrown around a lot in recent weeks,” Fowler wrote Wednesday. “Here’s what I know. Yes, the Giants are expected to be interested in him when the carousel rolls around. But the Titans have also done their research. And so there are several teams that either have an opening or could potentially have one. No team has officially asked to talk to Freeman since the last time I checked, but if Freeman wants an NFL team to at least explore, they’ll have a chance to talk to Freeman. It’s going to take the next couple of weeks to make that decision.”

While some coaches associated with Freeman believe he will remain in college football, according to Fowler, interest around the league continues to grow.

With Tennessee still rebuilding, his interest is definitely appealing. The team has lost 10 or more games in four straight seasons and is currently 3-12. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick, had 2,866 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, seven interceptions and 51 carries. Ward’s development will likely be a top priority in the Titans’ coaching search.

Freeman compiled a 43-12 record in four-plus seasons leading Notre Dame. He originally stepped into the role as the Fighting Irish’s interim head bowling coach at the end of the 2021 season after Brian Kelly left for LSU, then took over full-time starting in 2022. Under Freeman, Notre Dame posted four straight winning seasons, finished No. 2 in the national championship each year and reached No. 5 in the national championship final. game during the 2024 season, losing to Ohio State 34-23.

The 2025 season also showcased the stability of Freeman’s program. Notre Dame finished 10-2 and narrowly missed the College Football Playoff, despite not playing during conference championship weekend. Over the past few years, the Fighting Irish have also produced significant NFL talent, with 18 players drafted between 2022 and 2025, including Kyren Williams, Kyle Hamilton and Joe Alt.

Although many consider Freeman a defensive-minded coach, his resume includes developing young quarterbacks at the college level. At Notre Dame, he oversaw freshman CJ Carr’s first season as a starter, during which Carr threw for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions and placed KBR in the top 10.

Freeman has no NFL coaching experience and only limited playing time at the professional level. Drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round in 2009, he spent time on the practice squads with Chicago, the Buffalo Bills and the Houston Texans before a heart condition forced him to retire in 2010. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Ohio State and later was an assistant at K State Purfen. Cincinnati from 2017 to 2020, and Notre Dame defensive coordinator in 2021.