Marcus Freeman Addresses Media Sensationalism
Notre Dame’s football coach, Marcus Freeman, expressed his frustration at how his family’s reputation was affected following an incident that occurred at his son’s wrestling match on January 3rd. He stated during a press conference that the media had “dragged” his family into a sensationalized narrative.
Freeman thanked the university for their support after he faced assault accusations from Chris Fleeger, an assistant coach at New Prairie. This incident took place during a wrestling tournament held at Mishawaka High School in Indiana.
He emphasized that he acted professionally and respectfully to protect his family, saying, “that should have been the only headline.” Notably, no charges were filed against Freeman following an investigation by the Mishawaka Police Department.
Freeman also expressed appreciation to reporters who waited for the facts to emerge, avoiding “clickbait headlines” that could misrepresent the situation. He stated, “Journalistic integrity should matter,” calling for accuracy in news reporting.
“I get it; being a public figure comes with scrutiny. But that shouldn’t extend to my children or any other kids of public figures,” he added.
A report by a St. Joseph County prosecutor, as noted by the South Bend Tribune, claimed witnesses indicated that Fleeger had shown hostility toward the Freeman family, even suggesting that other wrestlers harm Freeman’s son, Vinny, who is a senior at Pennsylvania High School.
Fleeger subsequently filed a police report after the altercation was captured on video. However, after reviewing the footage and the police investigation, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office announced that Freeman would not face charges.
This incident garnered national attention. Freeman commended journalists who reported honestly and took their time before rushing to conclusions, contrasting that with certain local outlets that he felt sensationalized the incident.
“Because they chose not to, my family and I have been dragged through the morass of clickbait headlines,” he lamented.
Freeman also expressed gratitude to Notre Dame for their swift support, highlighting their statement which referred to the accusations as “baseless.” The university affirmed that Vinny had been verbally mistreated by a local wrestling coach, and that Marcus and his wife Joanna intervened to protect him.
“Coach Freeman was never physically involved with anyone at any time,” the statement read, asserting that the video evidence would clear Freeman’s name and reveal the accusations to be unfounded.
