Marcus Freeman succeeded Brian Kelly as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach, and it’s safe to say the program’s investment has paid off thus far. How much is Freeman’s contract worth, and when does it expire?
Marcus Freeman’s Salary and Contract in 2024
When Kelly left Notre Dame for a 10-year, $95 million deal with the LSU Tigers, the Fighting Irish needed to make a splash. Instead of an external hire, the program looked internally for a rising star: then-defensive coordinator Freeman.
The details of Freeman’s contract have not been released due to Notre Dame’s status as a private institution. However, federal tax documents from May 2024 can help paint the full picture.
Freeman earned nearly $6.7 million in his debut year as Notre Dame’s head coach in 2022, a significant jump from the $2.28 million he made as defensive coordinator and head coach-in-waiting the year prior. His compensation included $5.8 million in base salary, with additional bonuses, deferred benefits, and incentives rounding out the total.
Freeman’s earnings positioned him as the highest-paid employee at the university during that period. In 2021, he reportedly sought a five-year deal and declined a four-year contract offer worth $2.5 million annually to be LSU’s DC.
Freeman’s Net Worth
An enlarged heart condition cut Freeman’s playing career as a linebacker short, but coaching offered another avenue. His brief three-team stint in the NFL (Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, and Houston Texans) led to a return to Columbus, Ohio, as a graduate assistant for his alma mater: the Ohio State Buckeyes.
From there, Freeman coached at various programs, with every contract and salary coming from a team in the Midwest (Kent State, Purdue, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame). He worked his way up the ranks from a GA to linebackers coach, defensive coordinator, and now, head coach.
KEEP READING: Top 10 Highest-Paid College Football Head Coaches in 2024
With the Cincinnati Bearcats, Freeman produced some of the best defenses in college football and even helped the team make a College Football Playoff appearance in 2021. He also helped turn cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner into a first-round draft pick.
According to USA Today, Freeman made roughly $1,784,000 in base salary across his nine years as an assistant outside of Notre Dame.
When we add in his signing bonus from his rookie contract with the Bears ($181,700), and his figures from ND extrapolated out to this season, Freeman has earned approximately $24,345,700 in career earnings from the sport.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.