With new comments from head coach Marcus Freeman it seems like a move from Notre Dame to an NFL team is not a matter of if, but when.
One of the big stories in football late last year was Freeman's flirtation with the NFL. During his five seasons in South Bend, the 40-year-old has emerged as one of the best coaches in the country and his resume includes a trip to the championship game. Obviously, his impressive success in his first head coaching role caught the attention of NFL executives.
As the league's teams searched for potential candidates for their head coach positions in December, Freeman was linked to several jobs, including the New York Giants. It started to seem like leaving Notre Dame for a pro job was a real possibility. However, at the end of the month, Freeman announced that he was not going anywhere and had in fact received a new deal from the university.
Nevertheless, there are still rumors that soon, the benefits of becoming an NFL coach will be too much, and he will leave the Fighting Irish in a bad way. During a new interview this week, Freeman didn't allay the fears of Notre Dame fans who were worried an exit was on the way.
Marcus Freeman Record: 43-12
On Thursday, Freeman told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo to "never say never" on the idea of jumping to the NFL, and that he "daydreams" about the idea with some regularity. Furthermore, he admitted that when he had introductory talks with teams in December, he used it to find out what franchises and executives wanted from prospective head coaches.
"If the time and opportunity is right, we'll see what happens in the future," Freeman said. However, he said he feels he has "the best job in America" and feels fulfilled in his role.
Unfortunately for Notre Dame fans, several great coaches leading various top programs across the country have said the same thing and all left. Fighting Irish fans need to enjoy and appreciate Freeman while they have him, because a move to the NFL is going to happen; It's just about how long it takes.
