Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has been quick to praise his wife Joanna Freeman for his success as one of the top college football coaches. The couple met when Marcus was a player at Ohio State and Joanna was a local television reporter.
Marcus and Joanna are the proud parents of six children Rocco (6), Capri (7), Nico (9), Gino (11), Siena (12) and Vinny (17) (ages as of December 2024, per US Weekly). The Notre Dame coach also has an 18-year-old daughter named Bria from a previous relationship, per US Weekly.
Here’s what you need to know about Marcus’ wife Joanna and family.
Marcus Freeman on Attention: ‘I Just Got to Try to Keep My Wife Happy’
Notre Dame’s head coach @MarcusFreeman_1 looks have been the topic of many conversations… Shirts with, “Coach Hottie”, & “Our Coach is hotter than yours” litter the stands. Shoot even James Franklin was hating on him. I
College football fans have become interested in Marcus’ marital status, but the Notre Dame coach made it clear that he is not an eligible bachelor. During an August 26, 2025, interview with “The Pivot Podcast,” Marcus was asked about his looks becoming a talking point.
“Man, I tell you what, yeah, I try to stay away from that as much as I can, you know what I mean?” Marcus remarked. “There ain’t gonna be a good answer for this question.
“I’ll tell you what, I just got to try to keep my wife happy. That’s it. I’m just trying to keep my wife happy, man, and I let people say whatever they want to say, you know what I mean?”
Marcus Freeman Praised His Wife Joanna for Her ‘Selflessness & Unconditional Love’
Back in 2024, Marcus took to Instagram to give his wife and mom a Mother’s Day shoutout. Marcus praised Joanna’s selflessness while posting a family photo.
“I’m so blessed to have these two amazing women in my life,” Marcus said in the May 12, 2024, Instagram message. “They have impacted our family in so many ways with their selflessness and unconditional love.
“Happy Mother’s Day to all of the incredible moms out there!”
Marcus’ Wife Joanna Helped the Notre Dame Coach Draw Closer to Catholic Faith
“To do what I do, you have to have the most unselfish Wife in the world.” –@Marcus_Freeman1 @NDFootball
Marcus points to Joanna as helping him draw closer to the Catholic faith. According to the South Bend Tribune’s Mike Beradino, Marcus’ wife was already a practicing Catholic when the Notre Dame coach committed to the faith in 2022.
“[W]hat better time is there to go have Mass?” Marcus told the National Catholic Register in 2022. “What better time to be able to really be on the edge of your seat to get every word that comes out of the priest’s mouth and to be as close to God as you can?”
Joanna Freeman on Relationship With Notre Dame Coach: ‘We Had a Lot of Breakups & Make-Ups’
From the outside, the Freemans seem to have the perfect family. During a December 30, 2021, interview with Yahoo Sports, Joanna was candid about the ups and downs the couple has overcome during their relationship.
“We don’t have a super romantic love story,” Joanna said at the time. “We had a lot of breakups and make-ups. We fell hard.
“We fell fast. We were really young when we met, and a lot of ways, we really grew and matured into adults together.”
Marcus Freeman Sends Strong Message on Wife Joanna Amid Notre Dame’s Run