Sep 13, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman looks at the scoreboard during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images
Sep 13, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman looks at the scoreboard during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images
Marcus Freeman, the 39-year-old head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, spent part of his Thursday media session addressing something he says doesn’t concern him.
His name has surfaced in connection with several coaching vacancies this month, from college programs like LSU, Florida, and Penn State to NFL franchises including the New York Giants.
Freeman’s 40-12 record at Notre Dame and his run to last season’s national championship game have made him one of the sport’s most sought-after coaches. But Freeman has a simple message for anyone tracking the rumors. He calls it noise, and he’s not listening.
During his weekly conference call Thursday, Freeman explained how he handles the constant speculation with his players. He frames it as a lesson about controlling what enters your mind. Freeman told reporters he reminds his team that just because others create noise doesn’t mean they have to absorb it. The same logic applies to him.
In an interview with On3’s Cory Low, Freeman said that if his name gets mentioned for another job, “that’s somebody else’s noise. That ain’t the noise that Marcus Freeman is putting in his mind.”
The Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll on Monday after a 2-8 start, and multiple New York outlets immediately added Freeman to their list of potential candidates. There’s a connection worth noting here.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen is an Elkhart native who played at the former Memorial High School before attending DePauw University. Tim McDonnell, the Giants’ director of player personnel, spent eight years in various roles with Notre Dame’s football program before joining the Giants in 2013.
Lose to real competition early, play cupcakes the rest of the year, and get into the playoffs. Why would he leave?
— NorthBest Sports (@NorthbestS35) November 14, 2025
But Freeman signed a contract extension through 2030 last December that reportedly averages around $9.5 million per year. Notre Dame sits at 7-2 with a No. 9 ranking in the College Football Playoff standings heading into Saturday’s noon road game at No. 22 Pittsburgh.
Freeman Teaches His Players to Filter What Matters From What Doesn’t
The coach said on his Thursday call that he addresses outside rumors with his team on a case-by-case basis. “If I feel like it’s necessary, I do,” Freeman explained. “A lot of times, in things I say to the team, it may come out. A great example is, ‘What’s the noise you’re putting in your head?’ Just because the noise in somebody else’s head is one thing doesn’t mean it has to be your noise.”
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Nov 1, 2025; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman, offensive lineman Joe Otting (64), safety Adon Shuler (8), defensive lineman Junior Tuihalamaka (44), quarterback CJ Carr (13) and defensive lineman Donovan Hinish (41) after the game against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Edward Finan-Imagn Images
He went further, adding, “As I’m sure I’ve said before, just because somebody else might be saying my name’s up for whatever job or being considered, that isn’t the noise that I’m going to put in my head.”
Freeman also made clear that when he chooses to address speculation with his players, it has to serve a purpose. “I can address it directly, indirectly, but if I’m going to spend time talking about something like that, I have to make sure it’s in a way that it’s beneficial for the players,” Freeman said.
“Your time in front of the players is so limited. If I can use it as an example, I will. But also, more than anything, I want to make sure I can give them some type of message to make sure that they’re doing something positive for themselves.”
Freeman played linebacker at Ohio State from 2004 to 2008, starting 37 games and finishing 19th on the Buckeyes’ all-time tackle list. He joined Notre Dame as defensive coordinator under Brian Kelly in 2021, then took over as head coach when Kelly left for LSU.
The rumors will keep coming as long as Freeman keeps winning. That’s the price of success in college football. But Freeman has been clear about where his attention goes. He’s teaching his players to block out distractions, and he’s doing the same thing himself.