Joe Montana Interview Series: Why Marcus Freeman is Special for Notre Dame

Behind most all-time great quarterbacks are usually a legendary head coach.

Bart Starr had Vince Lombardi.

Roger Staubach had Tom Landry.

Terry Bradshaw had Chuck Knoll.

Tom Brady had Bill Belichick.

I could go on, but you get the point.

No player to come from Notre Dame had quite the same NFL success as legendary quarterback Joe Montana, who won the 1977 national championship before helping lead the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl titles.

Montana played for legendary coaches Dan Devine, Bill Walsh, George Seifert, and Marty Schottenheimer during his illustrious football career.

So, what traits that make a great head coach does Montana see in Marcus Freeman?

I (Nick Shepkowski) sat down with Montana a few hours before Notre Dame took on Miami this past weekend, as he took a break from passing out Guinness to Fighting Irish fans at Corby's.

You can see the entire interview below, while a few of the highlights will get their own in-depth posts here this week.

Joe Montana Reveals Marcus Freeman's Most Important Trait

"The biggest thing is the relationship the coach has with the players," said Montana. "That's what builds the trust with everybody and his ability to continue to bring in players here year after year."

Relationships have clearly been a major part of Freeman's approach at Notre Dame, as recruiting wins have followed and the roster appears capable of ending the national championship drought that dates back to the 1988 season.

Montana sees Freeman's personality as the major factor that creates those relationships and as a result, has helped Notre Dame's stock rise.

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Montana's Appreciation for How Freeman Treats Players

"If you look at him and look at his personality, and if you ever get to know him, you'll see why he's a successful head coach," added Montana. "The way he treats his players, he's just great for Notre Dame."

Not that Marcus Freeman is in much need of endorsements these days, but getting one from of Notre Dame's brightest stars doesn't hurt, as the head coach played a role in getting Montana back in the Notre Dame spotlight.

"He personally reached out at one point, and it's great to be back here".

Impact of Freeman Reconnecting with Former Players Being Felt

While Montana's legacy at Notre Dame is rivaled by an incredibly select few, its Freeman's relationships with far lesser-known former players that are also paying huge dividends for the football program.

The new, state-of-the-art football facility on campus was built in part, thanks to a massive contribution from former Notre Dame linebacker Jack Shields and defensive back Pat Eilers.

Those donations likely wouldn't have happened if Freeman hadn't reconnected with former players, unlike some former Notre Dame head coaches, who had no interest in doing so.

Few players in the history of football know as much about winning at a high level as Montana. His ringing endorsement of Freeman certainly doesn't guarantee anything, but it helps reinforce the foundation the head coach has worked to build since officially taking over in December of 2021.

For a program looking to get over that final hurdle and win its first national championship since 1988, having someone like Montana openly believing in its leader is not only encouraging but also impactful.

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