The Chicago Bears decided to move on from head coach Matt Eberflus after the loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, and although many will connect some of the top coordinator names to the job opening, Notre Dame football head coach Marcus Freemanwas mentioned as a candidate by Peter Schrager of FOX Sports on their kickoff show, according to Nick Geddes of on3.com.
When speaking on FOX NFL Kickoff, Schrager said that the Bears are looking for a “leader of men” type of head coach to lead the franchise into the future.
Another name that you haven’t heard anywhere else that I would keep your eye on — Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman,” Schrager said, according to Geddes. “Kevin Warren, former Big Ten commissioner, is now running the Bears as the president. Familiar with the college game. They’re looking for a ‘leader of men’ type coach. Freeman a name to watch early on in that process.”
Many will undoubtedly link the Bears to top coordinator names like Ben Johnson or Aaron Glenn from the Lions. Many believe that the Bears would appeal to Johnson due to 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. However, it would seem that Chicago might go with a candidate based on leadership qualities rather than schematics. It will be interesting to see if Freeman’s name remains in the running for the Bears’ opening.
Marcus Freeman responds to Bears rumors after Notre Dame football defeats USC
Notre Dame football locked up a trip to the College Football Playoff with a 49-35 win over USC on Saturday, and amid the Bears rumors, Freeman spoke on how he is approaching things.
“As for me, I never even — I try not to waste time thinking about an uncertain future,” Freeman said, according to Geddes. “I tell our players all the time, your future is uncertain. So, I try not to waste time thinking about things that aren’t in the moment. And so, I haven’t spent any time really thinking about what the future will provide.”
For now, Freeman and Notre Dame will likely focus on their upcoming game in the College Football Playoff, but it will be interesting to see if he considers the Bears job when his season wraps up. Chicago likely will still be conducting its head coaching search when the college football season wraps up, but Freeman does have to worry about recruiting in the upcoming weeks as well, so it will be an interesting situation to monitor.
