SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Marcus Freeman kicked off his inaugural playoff week as a head coach by gathering the team for a meeting and addressing media inquiries.

Shortly after, Notre Dame took decisive action to secure Freeman’s future.

The university confirmed a long-term contract extension for Freeman, elevating him to the status of one of the highest-paid coaches in the nation. This news was revealed during NBC’s Football Night in America pregame segment. The network is the official broadcaster for Notre Dame games.

Freeman expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am thankful for the support from the Board of Trustees. The significant investment they continue to make into our program is essential for our student-athletes and staff. This commitment transcends my individual role, highlighting their focus on keeping all facets of our program competitive at the highest levels of college football.”

Freeman, who is 38 years old, has guided the Fighting Irish to a compelling record of 30-9 during his three seasons in South Bend, Indiana, and has successfully led the team to its first playoff berth since 2021.

Following a tough defeat against Northern Illinois, which marked the team’s second loss of the season, Freeman recognized the pressure of potential playoff elimination. He approached the remaining 10 games as if they were do-or-die situations. His strategy paid off, as the team went on to win all 10 games, re-entering the Associated Press’ top five and securing a first-round home playoff matchup as the No. 7 seed.

This Friday night, the Fighting Irish will host No. 9 Indiana, which is seeded No. 10, marking the first playoff game to be held on a college campus. The victor will advance to challenge No. 2 Georgia.

Freeman’s journey to coaching began when he was selected in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the Chicago Bears in 2009. He also had brief stints with teams in Buffalo and Houston before closing the chapter on his playing career in 2010. Following his retirement, he returned to his alma mater, Ohio State, to work as a graduate assistant.

His coaching career took him through various programs, including Kent State and Purdue, where he became the defensive coordinator in 2016. The following year, he joined Cincinnati and remained there until 2020. After serving as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator in 2021, he stepped into the head coach position when Brian Kelly departed for LSU.

Under his leadership, Freeman achieved nine wins in his first season, followed by ten in his second, and has reached an impressive eleven victories in the current year.