Marcus Freeman NFL rumors update: Notre Dame coach reportedly gets linked to Chicago Bears

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Chicago Bears are heavily interested in the Notre Dame Fighting Irish coach Marcus Freeman, with the Sunday report claiming the franchise wants to interview him for the head coaching role.

This comes after Freeman led the Fighting Irish to the national championship game this season. His team is set to face the Ohio State Buckeyes for the national championship. The game will take place on Jan. 20.

The Bears have several candidates lined up for interviews. The list includes Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. All of them are scheduled to talk with the management next week, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.

Freeman's association with the Bears dates back to the 2009 NFL draft when the franchise picked him in the fifth round. However, he was waived the following September.

Marcus Freeman's NFL rumor is a little surprising, but why?

The report has got several wondering since Marcus Freeman denied any rumors of him going to the NFL before the College Football Playoff semifinal against the Penn State Nittany Lions. On Jan. 4, he mentioned his new contract with the program.

“I don’t know when they announced it, I can’t remember, but about a week or two ago, they announced another long contract here at Notre Dame. So I don’t think we have anything to worry about,” Freeman told ESPN’s SportsCenter.

Freeman signed a four-year extension with the Fighting Irish in December. The deal will reportedly pay him over $9 million annually, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football.

"I am grateful for the support of the Board of Trustees," Freeman said in a statement released by the athletic department via Fox Sports. "The investment they continue to pour into our program is invaluable to our student-athletes and staff. This commitment goes well beyond myself, as they are dedicated to ensuring all aspects of our program are competitive within the upper echelon of college football."

In Dec. 2021, Notre Dame promoted Freeman as the head coach and since then he has led the program to a 33-9 record. He is 4-1 in Bowl games and unbeaten in the College Football Playoff thus far.

It remains to be seen what Marcus Freeman has to say about it and whether even he is genuinely interested in taking an NFL job.