By Nelson EspinalShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberNotre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman spoke at a press conference about recent reports that have linked him to multiple NFL head coach openings.
Freeman has been pegged as a potential future NFL head coach, and the league has expressed interest in him over the past year, though he has remained loyal to the Fighting Irish.
However, during the current coaching cycle, Freeman's name has popped up next to multiple teams, including the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, and now the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The chatter around a move to the NFL has typically been fans clamoring for a radical change to their own franchise or speculation within football circles, never anything concrete connecting him to a job.
...Freeman dumped cold water on speculation linking him to the Giants job, reaffirming his commitment to Notre Dame and signing a contract extension.
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The new deal has not stopped the buzz, forcing Freeman to address the links in a press conference, where he could not have been clearer about his commitment and intentions with Notre Dame.
"I'm the head coach at Notre Dame," he said. "Individual success, NFL interest, those are all a reflection of team success and where this program is. ... I don't control the noise, but I know the noise that's in my head and where my focus is."
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Freeman was asked if he had any interest in coaching at the professional level, and he did not outright rule out a move further down the line.
"I've never done it, I don't know enough about it," Freeman said. "Maybe sometime in the future if it's the right time and it's what I think is right for me, then maybe I'll pursue it. But I don't love wasting time thinking about things that aren't right in front of me."
Freeman has shown flashes of being a great potential NFL coach, given how he has been able to get his message across to players, motivating and developing them.
The transition from college to the NFL is tough, but many in the league believe he has what it takes, and if the interest persists, Freeman might eventually make the move.
That will not be happening any time soon.
More news: LSU, Lane Kiffin Face Late Push From Tennessee After Sam Leavitt Commitment
For more college football news, head to Newsweek Sports.
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