Marcus Freeman’s Desire To Depart Notre Dame Unclear; Latest On Giants’ Interest

By Adam La Rose | at December 21, 2025 2:54 pm

Not long after the Giants dismissed head coach Brian Daboll, Marcus Freeman emerged as a potential replacement candidate. The Notre Dame coach is still under contract, though, and he is positioned to remain among the best-compensated college staffers in the country moving forward.

It was reported earlier this month that Freeman is indeed on New York’s list of interview targets for the head coaching spot. The 39-year-old’s stock has risen throughout his time leading the Fighting Irish, making him one of the top candidates for the upcoming hiring cycle. The Giants remain a team to watch closely regarding Freeman at this point.

SNY’s Connor Hughes confirms as much, although he adds to no surprise the matter of New York’s interest is not the only factor in play. It remains to be seen how willing Freeman will be to depart Notre Dame to take an NFL gig in general and the Giants’ in particular. The Irish have gone 43-12 during his four full seasons at the helm, and expectations will remain high for the 2024 national runners-up for years to come.

Of course, things could change on that front if Freeman were to jump to the NFL. Interest from teams other than the Giants would come as no surprise once interview season begins. In the event New York were to land Freeman, Hughes notes Mike Kafka could remain in the organization. Kafka – who began the year as the Giants’ offensive coordinator – took on the interim HC role after Daboll’s firing. Per Hughes, he could return to the OC spot if Freeman were to be hired as head coach.

Kafka himself represents one option for the Giants in their upcoming HC search, along with current NFL defensive coordinators such as Jeff Hafley (Packers) and Lou Anarumo (Colts). The future of general manager Joe Schoen is unclear at this point, although he expects to continue in his current capacity for a fifth season. Whether or not his presence – should that expectation be met – proves to be a deterrent for the top candidates will make for an intriguing storyline.

In the meantime, Freeman’s attention will turn to his NFL suitors. His decision on accepting a pro job (in New York or elsewhere) will represent one of the key dominoes in the 2026 hiring cycle.