Major college football head coach heavily linked to NFL coaching vacancy

A college football coach is considered the prime target for one of the NFL's two head coaching vacancies.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates with his players after winning a NCAA football game 70-7 against Syracuse at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NFL is entering the final weeks of the 2025 regular season. As the season concludes, many franchises will decide to move on from their current head coaches to improve their trajectories.

At the moment, the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants are the only head coaching openings in the NFL. The Titans made their move away from Brian Callahan on Oct. 13, and the Giants followed suit with Brian Daboll on Nov. 10.

NFL organizations will often consider college football coaches during their head-coaching searches. The Giants appear to be interested in Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman as their head coach in 2026.

Freeman has been linked with the Giants in the weeks following Notre Dame's decision to opt out of any postseason opportunities when it was excluded from the 2025 College Football Playoff. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network confirmed the Giants' continued interest in Freeman on Sunday.

Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman is expected to be a top candidate for the Giants HC position, per @MikeGarafolo. pic.twitter.com/mx4fDybzAM

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) December 21, 2025

"I expect him (Freeman) to be the foremost of the college candidates," Garafolo said. "As it pertains to NFL coaches, this is going to be a widespread search because there's no Ben Johnson, offensive play caller, belle of the ball type candidate in this cycle. A lot of the head coaches are calling plays offensively as well, so that really dwindles down the offensive guys. I expect defensive guys and veteran coaches for the Giants job as well."

The jump from college football to the NFL can be a precarious one for coaches. While Jim Harbaugh has been successful each time he has jumped from college to the NFL, coaches like Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier and Lou Holtz have all returned to college because it is too difficult.

Freeman ascended his way up the coaching ladder as a linebackers coach and defensive coordinator with stops at Kent State, Purdue, Cincinnati and Notre Dame. When Brian Kelly left Notre Dame for LSU at the conclusion of the 2021 season, the Fighting Irish promoted Freeman to head coach.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman (middle) joins his players in singing the victory song | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Notre Dame has amassed a 43-12 record with Freeman at the helm in just over four seasons. He led the Fighting Irish to their first College Football Playoff in four seasons and their first national championship appearance in 12 years in 2024.

Since the Giants parted ways with Tom Coughlin after the 2015 season, they have not employed the same head coach for more than four seasons. Outside of Brian Daboll, no one has served as the Giants' coach for more than two seasons in that span.