As the new head coach steps into the role of leading one of the most prestigious football schools, all eyes turn toward who Marcus Freeman truly is. Part of that story is his wife and family, so let’s take a look at this article by Joanna Freeman, the wife of former linebacker Marcus Freeman.
Marcus Freeman and why everyone is talking about him
Marcus Freeman has been in the news recently for becoming the head coach for Notre Dame. Schools like Notre Dame don’t just open up to anyone, especially a 36-year-old with no head coach experience. The fact that Marcus Freeman’s first full-season gig is going to be at a school as prestigious as Notre Dame, is turning heads.
The ex-NFL linebacker has recently done interviews talking about the importance of family, religion, and God. This is because he reintroduced mass for the players before they go out into the field.
His wife is often seen at practice with their children, and according to Freeman, he does this because “I want them to see us as fathers and as husbands because those lessons that they learn from watching us will last forever.” On top of that, he gets to spend time with his family amid his extremely busy schedule.
Considering that NFL Coach Freeman was helping the team win games with his style even before he officially started his season as head coach, all eyes are now on him.
Naturally, people got curious about his wife too, wondering where she falls into the grand scheme of his belief systems. Let’s dive into what Marcus Freeman’s personal life looks like, and who exactly his wife Joanna Freeman is.
Who is Joanna Freeman?
Marcus Freeman thinks that it is important to have family around, not only to be able to spend time with his own; but to also give students a sense of what family and support should mean.
He also allows his students’ families to come to practices, to come into his office, and to be a part of the game. For him, the team is a family and thus should be treated as such.
The two met in college, and have been together for over a decade now. They have six children between them named Rocco, Vinny, Gino, Capri, Siena, and Nico.
As per USAPeriodical.com, Joanna Freeman has managed to stay out of the limelight entirely. She is not seen on social media, apart from her husband’s posts, nor does she do interviews, etc. He has, however, integrated his family with his football family in many ways.
Coaching and Family
His wife Joanna thus is frequently seen around the grounds, and in many ways is a part of his family and faith approach to coaching. She is also Catholic, as are his children, and for Marcus, faith is very important to the game itself.
In an interview, Freeman said that being a father and being a coach are the same thing. It’s giving your everything and making sacrifices so that the kids can succeed. He said that staying away from his family due to his schedule is part of the sacrifice he has to make sure that his children can grow up and be anything they want to be.
However, the family stays close because it is part of who they are. Coach Freeman has been known to put a lot of importance into character-building, and tight-knit communities. For him, simply knowing the ins and outs of the game isn’t enough.
Much like he was taught by his former Ohio State coach, he thinks that character-building is what creates a good team.
For the new coach, it is important that students understand what they are playing for. Playing to win for him is not enough because when things get tough, players go that extra mile not to win, but for what they believe in.
Creating that sense of family, and giving his students a true understanding of what Notre Dame stands for is thus super important for Marcus Freeman.
His wife’s catholicism aligns with the school’s values, and thus he brings a sense of spirituality into the game that his home life has. He was quoted as saying that though he is not catholic himself, he has always appreciated the routine and the need for mass.
For him, using that time of vulnerability before the game to be fully open to the Lord is going that extra mile.
Some, however, had doubts if this wasn’t taking the focus of the students away from the game. Marcus reinstated that on the contrary, it allows students to learn how to be calm before the storm.
After all, once the ball starts rolling, the players are good enough to jump straight into competitive mode because that level of competence is what makes Notre Dame stand out.
According to the christian community, this sense of family and faith has made Coach Freeman something of a legend.
The struggle of being a father and a coach
Though his wife isn’t available publicly on social media, Marcus Freeman is often seen praising his wife for her role in his life. He also feels that his demanding career keeps him away from his family much more than he would like.
In one interview, he also mentioned that part of the reason for assimilating families together with his team was so that he could spend more time with them.
On one of his Mother’s day Instagram posts, coach Freeman praised his wife for being able to care for their six children alone, and making it look easy. He also calls her the glue that holds everyone together on their anniversary post.
In another post, he applauds his wife for being there for him. He wrote, “My wife, my partner, thank you for your unselfishness. Thank you for always being there and for your support, most of the time. You can be my toughest critic.
To my kids Vinny, Siena, Geno, Rocco, Capri, and Nico. You didn’t ask for his. You didn’t ask to share your dad. But you have to. And I love you.”