The truth about Marcus Freeman as a candidate for the Giants’ head coach opening and whether he actually fits in New York
Should Marcus Freeman leave Notre Dame for the New York Giants?
Candidates are being pitched left and right for the New York Giants head coach opening, with only a few weeks remaining in the 2025 season. The Giants’ open HC spot has been regarded as likely the best available job this cycle, thanks to the young core of potential stars and an early draft pick.
One name that has been a rising favorite in the process is Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. After Notre Dame’s season was cut short due to missing the College Football Playoff, he emerged as a betting favorite to fill the Giants’ job.
With Freeman’s rapid rise, he absolutely has earned the opportunity to be considered for NFL jobs. However, he is not a good fit for the Giants, and the Giants are not a good fit for him.
Is Marcus Freeman the right coach for the Giants?
Freeman has quickly become one of the best college football coaches in the country, levelling up a Notre Dame program that has reached its ceiling under Brian Kelly. In his four years as a head coach, Freeman amassed a record of 43-12 with three College Football Playoff game wins last season.
Last year was a miraculous season for the Fighting Irish, as they reached the National Championship and nearly mounted a comeback against Ohio State. Sadly, they fell short of reaching the CFP this year.
His results on the field have been fantastic, but it does not make him the right candidate for New York specifically, because his coaching style will not translate to the NFL at this time.
Freeman earned the Notre Dame head coaching job because he was an elite recruiter and a fantastic relationship builder with college athletes. He’s been a molder and motivator of college athletes because he connects easily with them. This is evidenced by Notre Dame finishing second in On3’s industry recruiting class ranking in 2026. In 2025, they finished 12th; in 2024, 11th; and in 2023, 10th.
There have been clear and gradual results. Every year, his team has become more athletic and talented. He’s raised the recruiting standard at Notre Dame and is leading the development of those prospects. Sadly, recruiting doesn’t really translate to the NFL.
Freeman isn’t an offensive or defensive guru like other coaches who have made the jump before. At times, his limited coaching experience has caught up with him, leading to poor in-game management. While he’s improved in that regard every year, it’s not up to NFL standards.
On the flip side of this, Freeman should not see the Giants as the right situation for him. Freeman has the potential to become a high-level NFL coach after gaining more experience as a college head coach. However, the disarray of the Giants organization isn’t a situation a coach who’s never coached in the NFL should want to take on.
Ultimately, the Giants need someone who is a tone-setter and has NFL coaching experience. They need someone who has been around rebuilds of losing cultures, who knows what it takes to fix them. Freeman isn’t there yet, and it’s best to stay at Notre Dame and keep building there. The NFL isn’t going anywhere, and he can make the jump at any time, being Notre Dame’s head coach.
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