Marcus Freeman buyout, contract details as Notre Dame Fighting Irish football coach

Marcus Freeman just led Notre Dame to the national championship game at the end of last season.

But the Fighting Irish are in a tough spot entering Saturday night's matchup with Texas A&M.

This will be their second-toughest game of the season, and they don't have anything else on their schedule resembling the Aggies or their opening loss to Miami.

So if Notre Dame loses, and falls to 0-2, it'd be really tough to get back into the College Football Playoff hunt, especially with no conference title game light waiting at the end of the tunnel.

That could lead to an anxious fanbase wondering what happens next for Freeman in a worst-case scenario.

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Marcus Freeman buyout terms

Marcus Freeman's buyout with Notre Dame is an unknown amount due to the Fighting Irish being a private university.

His deal was originally reported to have a buyout of just $4 million, but when Freeman signed a contract extension in December 2024, the buyout amount reportedly went up substantially.

Since then, though, the actual number hasn't been reported.

It likely went up by a factor of as much as 10. The buyout of Luke Fickell at Wisconsin, for example, is $40 million.

Marcus Freeman contract details

The contract extension signed by Marcus Freeman in December 2024 added four years to the end of the deal.

That takes Freeman through the 2030 season.

It has also been reported that there are no carve-outs in the contract for departures to the NFL or to Freeman's alma mater, Ohio State. 

So if Freeman wants to leave, the substantial buyout (whatever its exact amount) would have to be paid.

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