Did Marcus Freeman play in the NFL? Exploring Notre Dame HC's playing career

Marcus Freeman is in his third full season as Notre Dame's coach. He has compiled a 20-9 overall coaching record with the Fighting Irish so far. While Freeman has impressed as Notre Dame's coach, some have been curious to learn whether he played in the NFL.

Did Marcus Freeman play in the NFL?

Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman - Source: Imagn

Marcus Freeman had stints with three NFL teams in 2009 but never played a game in the big league. He was a linebacker on the gridiron and played college football at Ohio State.

During his time with the Buckeyes from 2004 to 2008, Freeman played 51 games. He recorded 268 tackles (140 solo), with 21.5 TFLs, 6.0 sacks, 15 PBUs, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. The linebacker also earned two second-team All-Big Ten selections.

The Chicago Bears selected Freeman in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL draft. However, the team waived him on Sept. 4.

On Sept. 22, Freeman was signed to the Buffalo Bills' practice squad. The Bills released him on Oct. 5.

Freeman signed with the Houston Texans on Nov. 4. However, he didn't make an appearance for the team during the season.

On May 1, 2010, Freeman retired from playing professional football due to an enlarged heart condition. He ventured into coaching after calling it quits on his playing career.

Notre Dame's 2024 schedule

The No. 18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish opened their 2024 season with a 23-13 win over Texas A&M. However, Freeman's team suffered a 16-14 against No. 25 Northern Illinois on Saturday.

Let's look at Notre Dame's schedule for the remainder of the 2024 college football season:

• Sept. 14: at Purdue
• Sept. 21: vs. Miami
• Sept. 28: vs. Louisville
• Oct.5: BYE
• Oct.12: vs. Stanford
• Oct. 19: at Georgia Tech
• Oct. 26: vs. Navy
• Nov. 2: BYE
• Nov. 9: vs. Florida State
• Nov. 16: vs. Virginia
• Nov. 23: vs. Army
• Nov. 30: at USC