Marcus Freeman staying at Notre Dame, will not be Bears head coaching candidate

Another potential head coaching candidate for the Chicago Bears can be crossed off the list. Over the weekend, it was announced that Marcus Freeman has signed an extension with the University of Notre Dame. Heather Dinich of ESPN reported that the deal is a four-year extension, which will keep Freeman at Notre Dame for six more seasons total. Freeman's name was discussed as a potential option for the Bears' position following the firing of Matt Eberflus. He's the second candidate to get taken off any wish list in the last few days.

Last week, head coach and eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick bypassed any opportunities to return to the NFL, including Chicago, when he signed a five-year deal with the University of North Carolina, his first time coaching at the collegiate level. Shortly after the news of Belichick's announcement, an ESPN report stated that Belichick believed Chicago was the most attractive job in the NFL but doubted the team's interest in him.

As for Freeman, financial details of his extension were not released. This season, he led Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff as the 7th seed, with an 11-1 record, and is preparing for the team's first-round matchup with Indiana on Friday. Freeman was a fifth-round pick by the Chicago Bears coming out of Ohio State in 2009 but retired from the NFL in 2010 due to an enlarged heart condition and went into coaching.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Marcus Freeman staying at Notre Dame, will not be Bears HC candidate