The Chicago Bears can cross another name off the list of potential coaching candidates after latest news that dropped late Sunday night.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has signed a four-year extension with the program that will reportedly make him one of the highest paid college coaches in the country.
Freeman himself noted he would garner some NFL interest after leading the Irish to an impressive 11-1 record and a spot in the College Football Playoffs. Instead, he remains with the program for years to come.
"I am grateful for the support of the Board of Trustees, led by John Veihmeyer, President Fr. Bob Dowd, C.S.C., and Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua," Freeman said in his statement. "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."
Freeman's name was quickly linked to the Bears soon after the team decided to part ways with former head coach Matt Eberflus following the team's loss on Thanksgiving. Peter Schrager of FOX Sports and Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports each considered Freeman an early name to watch for the Bears days after Eberflus was fired.
It's easy to see why he was a name to keep an eye on before landing this lucrative extension with Notre Dame. Freeman was drafted by the Bears in the 2009 NFL Draft and certainly fits all the head coach qualities the Bears are reportedly searching for.
However, according to The Athletic's Pete Sampson, the feeling was not mutual from Freeman's standpoint with a close source to Freeman indicating he "was not interested in making that jump" to the NFL.
Instead, Freeman joins new UNC head coach Bill Belichick as potential candidates that opted to solidify their future coaching plans before even meeting with the Bears.
As it stands, Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and former Tennessee Titans' head coach Mike Vrabel have the most buzz surrounding the team's vacant head coaching position, with other options still lurking as well.
Team president Kevin Warren believes that the Bears will be the most coveted head coach opportunity open going into this offseason and the search will be thorough, even if some of the top options continue to fall off the table.
