A Timeline of Marcus Freeman and Joanna’s Relationship at Notre Dame
Marcus Freeman, the head coach of Notre Dame football, has had his wife, Joanna Freeman, supporting him throughout his journey in the sport.
The couple first met during Marcus’ years at The Ohio State University, where he excelled as a linebacker from 2004 to 2008. As reported by Yahoo! Sports, they were introduced by Marcus’ close friend, Calvin Pruitt, while both resided in the same Columbus apartment complex.
At the time, Joanna was pursuing her studies at Otterbein University in nearby Westerville, Ohio. She eventually became a news reporter at WBNS-Channel 10 in Columbus before starting a family with Marcus.
In 2009, Marcus was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. He later signed to the practice squads of the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans but never appeared in an NFL game.
Courtesy of Marcus Freeman/Instagram. Marcus Freeman has an impressive family off the field as well. Freeman, who became the head coach of Notre Dame in December 2021, married Joanna in 2010. They met during Marcus’ tenure at The Ohio State University.
Marcus started his coaching journey as a graduate assistant at Ohio State and later held positions at Kent State University, Purdue University, and the University of Cincinnati. He was appointed as Notre Dame’s head coach in December 2021.
Through it all, Joanna has stood by his side, and together they are the parents of six children: son Vinny, 17; daughter Siena, 12; son Gino, 11; son Nico, 9; daughter Capri, 7; and son Rocco, 6.
For a detailed timeline of Marcus and Joanna’s relationship, read on.
2007
Marcus and Joanna welcomed their first child, son Vinny, who is now a senior at Penn High School in Mishawaka, Indiana, and plays safety on the school’s football team. He is also a talented wrestler, having committed to Cornell University in April 2025.
2010
The couple got married shortly before Marcus began his coaching career as an assistant at Ohio State.
2012
While Marcus was the linebackers coach at Kent State, they welcomed their first daughter, Siena.
2013
Their second son, Gino, was born while Marcus served as the linebackers coach at Purdue University.
By July 2018, both Gino and Vinny were following in their father’s footsteps as Marcus posted on Instagram, showcasing the boys in football helmets with him.
2015
While still at Purdue, Marcus and Joanna welcomed their son Nico. He later celebrated his fourth birthday, as shown in a 2019 Instagram post from Marcus featuring a birthday party with current Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell.
2017
The couple celebrated the arrival of their second daughter, Capri.
In a heartwarming Instagram photo shared by Marcus, all of Capri’s siblings could be seen lovingly posing with her shortly after her birth.
2018
Marcus and Joanna welcomed their sixth child, son Rocco, just before the holiday season.
“Merry Christmas from the Freeman Crew,” Marcus posted on Instagram in December 2018, sharing a joyful family picture in front of a fireplace filled with stockings.
2020
Marcus marked their 10th wedding anniversary by sharing a collection of memories on social media.
“Celebrating 10 years with the love of my life, the glue of our family,” Marcus remarked on Instagram. “Happy anniversary, Jo!”
2021
The entire Freeman family was present when Marcus signed to become the 30th head coach in Notre Dame’s history.
“My family and I are grateful for the overwhelming support,” Marcus posted on Instagram. “This community is special, and we feel blessed to be a part of it. To my team—let’s secure this win! Go Irish!”
2023
On Mother’s Day, Marcus shared a picture featuring Joanna and his mother, Chong Freeman.
“Happy Mother’s Day to all amazing moms out there! Today we celebrate you!” he shared on Instagram. “I’m especially thankful for these two incredible women—my wife Joanna and my mom!”
2025
Joanna and their six children celebrated on the field with Marcus after Notre Dame triumphed over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, securing a place in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
2025
Marcus and Joanna took their sons to attend the 2025 WWE Royal Rumble in Indianapolis, enjoying ringside seats at Lucas Oil Stadium, home to the NFL’s Colts. The family was featured on the large video screens, eliciting cheers from more than 70,000 attendees.
2025
In August, during an interview with Ryan Clark on “The Pivot Podcast”, Marcus was asked about how his looks have become part of the “Marcus Freeman persona.”
“Man, let me tell you,” Marcus replied with laughter, “I try to avoid that topic as much as possible! There’s no good answer to this question. My main focus is just to keep my wife happy. That’s the goal!”
