“I’m Not Saying You Have to Be Catholic”: Marcus Freeman Speaks Up on Prioritizing Faith Alongside Football at Notre Dame

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish, under Marcus Freeman, have been sensational this season. As things stand, Freeman’s team is on a 13-game winning streak, with most of their victories being lopsided. While many would rightly attribute their CFB dominance to their $72 million budget—the second largest of any CFP teams this year—Marcus has hinted that “faith” has also played a key role in their success.

While most programs don’t prioritize religion and faith in their curriculum, Marcus Freeman ensures that Notre Dame players embrace their own beliefs. While he doesn’t ask his players to pursue being a Catholic, what Freeman ultimately wants is for his players to believe in a divine entity.

“When you’re at Notre Dame, faith is something that’s openly talked about… Amongst our program, it’s promoted. I’m not saying you have to be Catholic, but we want our young people to grow in their faith,” Freeman said, as per Tyler Horka of On3 Sports.

Marcus Freeman: “When you’re at Notre Dame, faith is something that’s openly talked about…Amongst our program, it’s promoted. I’m not saying you have to be Catholic, but we want our young people to grow in their faith.”

It’s engrained in the Irish culture.

“I’m a believer.” pic.twitter.com/D7WnUbbZdB

— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) January 19, 2025

While most know Marcus Freeman as the HC of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, what many don’t know is the inspiring journey that Freeman has had so far. Marcus started his playing career with Ohio State as a linebacker. During this time, the Notre Dame HC also harbored dreams of being an Athletic Director one day, which is why he pursued a major in sports management.

Unfortunately, his career never took off as an enlarged heart condition ruined his NFL aspirations. This crushing blow, however, didn’t deter him; Freeman quickly moved on by accepting the role of a graduate assistant under then-Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.

Fifteen years later, and through sheer perseverance, Marcus Freeman ended up landing the prestigious HC role of Notre Dame with no NFL experience. Most men in Marcus’ place would’ve either given up or detached themselves from the sport from seeing their dream shattered. But Freeman persevered hard because of the faith he had in himself and God.

As per the HC’s admission, he saw coaching as a way to serve and lead young men to a brighter future. For a man of faith, this is one of the biggest acts of service one could do, and this motivation fueled his perseverance.

“I figured out early in my career that coaching is about leading people,” Freeman explained. “It’s about serving others. That’s how you fall in love with it.”

Considering all that Marcus has experienced in his life, it’s unsurprising to see the Notre Dame HC urge his players to profess their faith. After all, as we’ve seen from Freeman’s own life, just like love, faith is a verb too.