Being a CFB head coach is like walking a tightrope in a windstorm—balancing X’s and O’s with the demands of life off the field. Marcus Freeman, however, seems to stride across that rope with remarkable poise, as if the chaos fuels him rather than knocks him off balance. The Notre Dame head coach has redefined leadership on and off the field. After upsetting Georgia in the Sugar Bowl and taking his side to the semifinal, he’s already made history. And he could make more if he reaches the final. But as much as Freeman’s tactical brilliance was on display in that game, it was his humanity, as captured in a resurfaced interview, that struck a chord even with Buffs HC Deion Sanders.

The interview in question, posted by former NFL star Robert Griffin III on X, revealed a side of the Fighting Irish HC that few see—a father and husband who bends time to make it all work. When asked about balancing football and his family of seven, Marcus Freeman didn’t sugarcoat it. “There’s no balance,” he said candidly.

“Being a head coach or being a father or husband. I try to blend my family with our football family as much as I can,”  he added. The admission felt as real as it gets in a profession known for 18-hour workdays. Griffin’s commentary summed it up perfectly: “Marcus Freeman is ONE OF THE BEST LEADERS IN ALL OF FOOTBALL RIGHT NOW. But he knows he wouldn’t be able to do what he does without his wife, Joanna.”

The interview even quipped, “Like you see coach Deion’s office he looks like he sleeps there.” It looks like Freeman is learning from the best. It didn’t take long for Deion Sanders to jump into the conversation. After Griffin posted the clip on X, he responded with four simple yet impactful words: “Awesome!!!! Great brother & Coach.” Coming from a man who’s no stranger to the pressures of the job and the spotlight, the message carried weight. Sanders, fresh off his own season that ended with an Alamo Bowl loss, has a bit of free time on his watch and knows firsthand the juggling act that Freeman described. In some ways, Sanders and Freeman are cut from the same cloth.

Freeman’s praise for his wife was as heartfelt as it was humbling. “To do what I do, you have to have the most unselfish wife in the world,” he said. Joanna, a former news reporter, has been the cornerstone of Freeman’s support system, managing the chaos of raising six children while her husband navigates the relentless grind of college football.

Freeman shared how his wife often brings their kids to practice, letting them roam the sidelines. It’s a scene that underscores Freeman’s mantra of blending his two worlds. Easy for Deion Sanders, right? With his sons Shedeur and Shilo as key players on his Colorado Buffaloes squad, the dynamics are understandably different, but the grind remains the same.

That is what the former LB learned from his coaches, as he said, “These were the greatest lessons I learned just seeing my coaches interact with their families.” And he is doing the same with his players. Now, Notre Dame is riding a 12-game win streak, boasting a 13-1 record with two wins in the CFP. They’ve overcome adversity, including an early-season loss to Northern Illinois, and are now one game away from a shot at the national championship.

If Freeman leads the Fighting Irish past Penn State in the Orange Bowl, the former NFL LB could make history as the first Black head coach at the highest level of college football to compete for a national title. For a man who insists there’s “no balance” in his life, he sure makes it look effortless.

And Deion Sanders’ four-word message encapsulates what so many in the football world feel about Marcus Freeman. Like Griffin said, “We see you as a great coach, and we have a ton of respect for you.” +Entire Norman.

Marcus Freeman, a great father, husband, and a humble coach

Marcus Freeman and his Notre Dame squad pulled off a stunning upset over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday. But the win was historic for more than just football reasons. Freeman, one of only two Black head coaches in this year’s CFP semifinals, is part of a groundbreaking moment: it’s the first time two Black head coaches have reached this stage of the playoff. And the history doesn’t stop there.

Whoever comes out on top in the Penn State-Notre Dame matchup will become the first Black head coach to lead a team into the FBS national title game. When asked about this monumental achievement, Freeman’s response was as humble and thoughtful as ever. “Very grateful,” he said. “It’s a reminder that you’re a representation for so many others, especially players who look like me. Your color shouldn’t matter—the evidence of your work should. But it takes everybody.”

His humility and leadership have inspired, showing that progress comes from focusing on both excellence and representation. It’s all part of the beautiful chaos he’s come to embrace.