Marcus Freeman To NFL Rumors Resurface: Should Notre Dame Fans Worry?

Even after insisting he's coming back, the NFL's apparent pursuit of Marcus Freeman will not subside

Nov 22, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates with players after scoring against the Syracuse Orange during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

The NFL reportedly still wants Marcus Freeman.

After being left out of the final CFP bracket, the Notre Dame program needed some good news. Fortunately, the Irish received some when Marcus Freeman tweeted "2026...run it back" on December 29th.

In the midst of processing the recent pain of missing out on the CFP, combined with the bowl decline backlash, at least Notre Dame had its head coach back.

And that can be built upon with playoff revenge in mind for 2026.

2026…run it back

Go Irish ☘️

— Marcus Freeman (@Marcus_Freeman1) December 29, 2025

NFL teams are still pursuing Marcus Freeman hard

Per Ian Rapoport, one of the most respected NFL insiders there is, NFL teams are ignoring Marcus Freeman's "returning to Notre Dame" tweet and are still pursuing him hard as a head coaching candidate.

This information leads Irish fans to ask a couple of key questions. First, are Marcus Freeman and his representation engaging in this further flirtation, or is it one-sided from the NFL's side, in which it's their job to continue to pursue him until the bitter end?

Only Marcus Freeman and his inner circle know the answer to this question.

Even if these latest reports prove to be nothing more than PR moves from Freeman's agent or over-the-top pursuit of desperate NFL general managers, it will only buy the Irish relief for one season. I expect Freeman to the NFL to be a narrative each season from now on. It will be unavoidable and could become a problem on the recruiting trail.

NFL teams have "ignored" Marcus Freeman's post about returning to Notre Dame next season, per @RapSheet.

Interested teams still believe there's a chance Freeman makes a move to the NFL and would not put him through the interview process. pic.twitter.com/QcnJJDUyUv

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 11, 2026

Will Freeman to the NFL rumors negatively impact recruiting?

Nobody could blame Marcus Freeman for having NFL aspirations at some point in his career. The NFL is the peak of the sport. Garnering interest from the league is a huge compliment and opens up an entirely new career pathway. Freeman stated he would be back at Notre Dame for 2026, not the long haul or for life.

At some point, if it hasn't already, opposing coaches will begin to recruit against the Irish by suggesting to the very best high school players that Freeman isn't going to be in South Bend much longer, so why would you commit to this kind of uncertainty?

If Freeman wants to shut this all down, he can put out a firmer statement about his intentions. If he decides not to do so to keep his options open, which is his prerogative to do, this issue will not go away.

As for now, Notre Dame has one of the best coaches in America on its sideline, and the 2026 season can't get here quickly enough.

Fully preparing for it needs to be given full attention.