Notre Dame Football Coach Marcus Freeman Secures Generous Contract Renewal while Overseeing Team's College Football Playoff Debut
Notre Dame Football Coach Marcus Freeman Secures Generous Contract Renewal while Overseeing Team's College Football Playoff Debut
Following Brian Kelly's departure to LSU as Notre Dame's football coach, the Fighting Irish nominated defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman in December 2021, despite his inexperience as a head coach and young age of 35 at the time. Notre Dame's administration had faith in Freeman, and after some challenging periods, their decision seemed to bear fruit.
As the 7th seeded Notre Dame (11-1) was set to face 10th seed Indiana (11-1) in the College Football Playoff's opening match on Friday, Freeman agreed to an extension of his contract until 2030 on Sunday. The new deal would see him earn over $9 million yearly, an increase from $7 million in his initial agreement signed in 2019. Moreover, Freeman will also have additional funds for compensating his assistant coaches and staff.
The long-term commitment to Freeman may seem like a given for Notre Dame, but it wasn't always considered so. After losing to Northern Illinois, 16-14, on September 7, 2022, and slipping to 1-1, some questioned Freeman's ability to maintain expectations and keep the team on track for a successful season. In his first two seasons with the Fighting Irish, Freeman managed a 9-4-0 and 10-3-0 record, earning two bowl victories, but also suffering losses to Marshall and Stanford in 2022, and Louisville and Clemson in 2021.
However, following the Northern Illinois game, Freeman led the Fighting Irish on a remarkable streak, winning 10 consecutive matches by an average score of 30.7 points. Notre Dame's athletics director, Pete Bevacqua, admitted that he had been persuaded by Freeman even before their recent winning streak. In recent weeks, Bevacqua had been in regular contact with Clint Dowdle, Freeman's agent, as well as Father Robert Dowd, the President of Notre Dame, and John Veihmeyer, the Chair of Notre Dame's Board of Trustees. The men agreed that extending Freeman's contract was an easy decision, according to Bevacqua.
“Coach Freeman is the epitome of Notre Dame,” Bevacqua stated in a press conference on Tuesday. “He’s so genuine, so sincere. All the aspects of Notre Dame that are admired and cherished – difficult, yet differentiated – he elegantly embodies and puts to excellent use.”
The announcement was timed deliberately. Bevacqua wished to seal the deal a few days prior to the CFP opener to avoid causing any distraction to Freeman or anyone at Notre Dame.
Bevacqua, who served as the chairman of NBC Sports before transitioning to Notre Dame's AD earlier this year, acknowledged that he had yet to be as thrilled for a sporting event since November 1993, just months after graduating from Notre Dame. At that time, he watched the 2nd ranked Fighting Irish defeat the 1st ranked Florida State in a game nicknamed “the Game of the Century.”
“That is where my expectations for Friday are heading,” Bevacqua said. “An atmosphere like the whole country's singular focus on a sporting event. Given we're the first game, the fact it's taking place in Notre Dame Stadium, an interstate battle on prime-time Fridays – it has real potential to be a remarkable moment in sports and a hopefully memorable one in Notre Dame sports history.”
Bevacqua expressed optimism for a series of such moments with Freeman in command. Although Freeman had a new agreement in place, speculation persisted that he might be lured away by NFL franchises or his alma mater, Ohio State. Bevacqua confirmed that there were no provisions for NFL or Ohio State in Freeman's contract, which would likely lead to a significant payout if he ever wished to depart Notre Dame.
Regardless, Bevacqua seemed optimistic about Freeman's position at the time. Bevacqua anticipated Notre Dame opting for the House settlement, which a judge was expected to rule in favor of in April, enabling athletics departments to share revenue with athletes for the first time. If approved, Bevacqua estimated that athletics departments would share $20.5 million with athletes starting from the 2025-26 academic year, with a significant portion allocated to the Fighting Irish's football team. During the contract extension discussions, Bevacqua claimed that Freeman was primarily interested in funds for his staff, including defensive coordinator Al Golden and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, both of whom reportedly have salaries among the top in college football. The concept was to secure and recruit the best coaches and personnel with millions. Furthermore, Notre Dame was planning to renovate facilities, including starting construction on the Jack and Kathy Shields Family Hall, a 150,000-square-foot building for football players, scheduled to open in 2026.
"It's no secret we're maintaining a high tempo," Bevacqua stated. "Football holds significant importance, and securing national titles is a shared ambition. I've shared this sentiment with Marcus, and we had a chuckle about it. We've both developed a sort of fixation, bordering on obsession, over the idea of clinching multiple national championships in football."
With the new contract, Notre Dame's football coach Marcus Freeman is not only set to earn a substantial income of over $9 million annually but also has additional funds to compensate his assistant coaches and staff, demonstrating the university's commitment to attracting and retaining top talent in sports business. The extension agreement comes at a crucial time for Freeman, as he prepares to lead the Fighting Irish in the College Football Playoff, a testament to the confidence placed in his abilities to drive the team's success in the realm of sports money and business.