Brett Favre praises Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman for answering ESPN’s ‘terrible’ race question
Notre Dame is on its way to making history after defeating Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night to advance to its first national championship game since the 2012 season, with hopes of winning its first title in nearly 40 years.
However, following the victory, Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman was asked by ESPN’s Molly McGrath how much the win meant given that he became the first black head coach to achieve title game.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates their victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on January 9, 2025. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Freeman, who fielded similar questions ahead of this game, turned the conversation to his team and the significance of their victory.
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“You know, I’ve said this before, I don’t ever want to take the focus off the team. I’m honored and I hope that all the coaches — minority, black, Asian, white, it doesn’t matter — great people continue to get the opportunity to lead young men like this.”
He continued: “But this isn’t about me, this is about us. And we’re going to celebrate what we’ve done because it’s something special.”
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and his team sing to the fans after winning the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game against Penn State on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Some on social media have addressed the issue. He was among those critics NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre, who praised Freeman for his response.
“Terrible question, but great answer from the Notre Dame head coach,” Favre wrote in a post on X. “Sports should bring people together, not divide them.”
Freeman has since fielded similar questions about his race and the significance of his accomplishments defeating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl last week. Each time, he refocused the focus on the achievements of the program.
“You’re grateful to be a part of this opportunity and you’re grateful every time your name is mentioned that you’re the first, but you don’t want to take away from how we got to this point, and I’m talking about your team and everyone who has worked hard to make your program brought to this point those who came before you,” he said during a press conference earlier this week.
“I repeat, it’s not about me. It’s not about one person. It takes a team, it takes a program, and it takes a lot of people who are committed to something bigger than themselves for your team to be in a position to be here, I understand that very much I’m grateful for that,” he continued.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, left, greets a player before the Orange Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff semifinal game against Penn State on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
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Freeman called his accomplishments creating more opportunities for the next generation of coaches “great,” but added that “focusing on one person takes away from what really gives your program a chance to get here.”
Notre Dame’s focus will now be on Friday night’s Cotton Bowl Classic. Ohio State will play Texas, with the winner advancing to the College Football Playoff national championship game to face Notre Dame on Jan. 20.
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