NFL analyst pitches genius NY Jets coaching hire that's too good to be true

The NY Jets are busting out all the buzzwords in their search for a new head coach. They're expected to "cast a wide net" and "turn over every stone" in an attempt to find the perfect candidate to lead this next (hopefully brighter) era of Jets football.

The team has already sought out a few outside-the-box candidates in the early stages of their search. The Jets officially interviewed longtime Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera on Thursday, and they're expected to do the same with Rex Ryan in the coming weeks.

Heck, the Jets even brought in Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy to interview for their general manager position. It's clear the Jets are not opposed to unorthodox candidates. That's why one recent suggestion might make some degree of sense, even if it's not very realistic.

The Notre Dame football team, led by head coach Marcus Freeman, defeated Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday to advance to the semi-finals of the College Football Playoff. Freeman's stellar coaching job has some insisting he should consider a jump to the NFL.

Some even think the Jets should make him a top target.

Could the NY Jets actually hire Marcus Freeman?

Freeman has quickly established himself as one of the premier coaches in college football, and his work with Notre Dame this season has garnered widespread acclaim. Freeman's Fighting Irish won their 13th game of the season on Thursday, the most in a single year in program history.

A former Ohio State linebacker, Freeman spent one year in the NFL before he was forced to retire due to a heart condition. After stints as an assistant at Kent State, Purdue, and Cincinnati, Freeman was hired as Notre Dame's defensive coordinator in 2021. He'd become the school's head coach by the end of the year after Brian Kelly left to join LSU.

Freeman has gone on to win three straight bowl games with his most impressive season to date coming in 2024. Notre Dame is one game away from reaching its first National Championship Game since 2013.

While Freeman would be a highly-regarded hire for the Jets, it's hard to imagine he's a realistic candidate. The Ohio native just signed a massive extension with Notre Dame a few weeks ago that will keep him in South Bend through the 2030 season.

Freeman is building a special program at Notre Dame and seems to have no intentions of leaving the school anytime soon, let alone for a Jets head coach job that many would argue would be a demotion at this stage.

The Jets will interview their share of outside-the-box candidates. They might even turn their attention to the college ranks in search of their next head coach. But it's safe to say the idea of hiring Marcus Freeman away from Notre Dame is little more than a pipe dream.

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