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Unsurprisingly, Notre Dame’s run to the National Championship thrust head coach Marcus Freeman into the spotlight once again. According to the NFL Network, the Chicago Bears have an interest in luring the college football coach to the professional level. 

The Bears are desperate for stability at head coach since they let Lovie Smith go following the 2012 NFL season. Since then, the Bears have had five different head coaches and zero playoff victories. 

In fact, the Bears haven’t won a playoff game in 15 seasons. 

But hiring Marcus Freeman away from Notre Dame brings complications with it. First and foremost, the Irish signed Freeman to a lengthy extension that runs through 2030 that comes with a hefty buyout. 

Not that the Bears wouldn’t be willing to spend money if they think Freeman is the guy who can get the most out of 2024 first-overall pick Caleb Williams. Still, paying extra money on top of what they would have to pay Freeman – and still owe Eberflus – is not an ideal scenario for any NFL team. 

Reports indicate that the Chicago Bears are interested in Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman for their head coaching vacancy.

Reports indicate that the Chicago Bears are interested in Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman for their head coaching vacancy.

(Stephen Lew/Imagn Images)

There’s also whether Freeman wants to jump to the NFL. The Bears drafted Freeman in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft, but he never played a professional snap. 

Freeman has spent, essentially, his entire football career at the college level. He played for Ohio State from 2004-08 and then joined the Buckeyes as a graduate assistant immediately following his short NFL career. 

The recently-turned-39-year-old quickly rose up the ranks in college football coaching, going from OSU to Kent State to Purdue to Cincinnati to Notre Dame. After just 10 years as an assistant coach, he was rewarded with the head coaching gig at Notre Dame. 

So, would Freeman be willing to make the jump? That’s unclear. If the Irish manage to upset the Buckeyes in the National Championship, maybe Freeman might want to take the next step. If they lose, he might want to chase that title before making any moves. 

Time will tell, though.