Major college football AD responds to potential departure of $54 million head coach

South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman greets fans while walking to the stadium before facing the Syracuse Orange at Notre Dame Stadium. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish closed the regular season at 10-2, riding a 10-game winning streak and a dominant late surge that many felt would secure a playoff slot.

Instead, the College Football Playoff committee left Notre Dame out of the 12-team field, and the Irish finished No. 11. The program immediately announced it would decline further bowl consideration amid widespread frustration.

In the fallout, athletic director Pete Bevacqua publicly praised head coach Marcus Freeman and signaled that Notre Dame will move to keep him firmly in the sport’s financial elite. 

Bevacqua reportedly told Notre Dame beat writer Pete Sampson that he wants Freeman "at the top, top, top tier" of college-coach compensation, a line that amounts to a clear warning shot to NFL teams and other suitors monitoring Freeman’s rapid ascent.

Pete Bevacqua on the possibility of Marcus Freeman departing for the NFL and matching other contract offers.

Said Notre Dame will make sure Freeman is at the "Top, top, top tier of college football coaches when it comes to compensation for college football coaches."

— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) December 9, 2025

Elevated to the head job in December 2021, Freeman guided Notre Dame to the 2025 national title game following a 2024 campaign that produced the program’s highest win total in modern history.

In five seasons, he has compiled an overall record of 43-12 through the 2025 regular season, a .782 winning percentage that ranks him among the top active coaches nationally. 

That success explains why NFL outlets and front offices have repeatedly listed his name when vacancies appear.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates after a touchdown in the first half of a NCAA football game against Syracuse at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Freeman’s scheduled 2025 pay is roughly $7.4 million, with the Irish coach set to earn up to $54 million by 2030.

By contrast, elite head coaches at some Power-5 programs are reporting compensation packages in the $10-$13 million annual range.

To truly land Freeman in "top-tier" territory, Notre Dame would need to craft a contract that meaningfully closes that gap. Higher base pay, performance bonuses, strong buyout protections, and NIL/incentive tie-ins could all be part of the offer.

For Freeman, the choice becomes remaining at a historic program promising increased resources and visibility, or testing the NFL pipeline that has been knocking for months. 

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