Report: Bears want to interview Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman

Field Level Media|published: Sun 12th January, 14:22 2025

(EDITORS NOTE: caption correction) Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears intend to interview Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman for their head coaching vacancy, NFL Network reported Sunday.

Freeman, of course, has more pressing matters at the moment. The head coach is guiding the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish into a clash against eighth-seeded Ohio State in the College Football Playoff national championship game on Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

Freeman owns a 33-9 coaching record with Notre Dame and sits one victory shy of leading the program to its first national championship since the 1988 season.

The 39-year-old Freeman also is no stranger to the Bears. He was selected by Chicago in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft out of Ohio State.

The Bears are searching for a head coach to replace Matt Eberflus, who was fired after Week 13 with the team at 4-8. Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown finished the season with a 1-4 mark as Chicago wound up in last place in the tough NFC North.

The Bears are scheduled to interview Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, as well as offensive coordinators Kliff Kingsbury (Washington Commanders), Todd Monken (Baltimore Ravens) and Arthur Smith (Pittsburgh Steelers) this week.

They already have interviewed offensive coordinators Ben Johnson (Detroit Lions), Drew Petzing (Arizona Cardinals) and Mike Kafka (New York Giants), defensive coordinators Aaron Glenn (Lions) and Anthony Weaver (Miami Dolphins), and former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll. Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel also interviewed, but he is out of the running after being named the coach of the New England Patriots on Sunday.

--Field Level Media

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