Notre Dame Loses Another Coach to the NFL

Assistant strength and conditioning coach Fred Hale departs for the Philadelphia Eagles

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Notre Dame has lost another coach to the NFL, as assistant strength and conditioning coach Fred Hale is leaving the Fighting Irish to take a job with the Philadelphia Eagles. Hale had been with Notre Dame for the past five seasons, serving as the interim director of strength and conditioning for the last two years.

Why it matters

Notre Dame has become a pipeline for the NFL, with the Marcus Freeman era seeing several assistant coaches depart for pro opportunities. Hale's departure is the latest example of the Fighting Irish coaching staff being viewed as a valuable source of talent by NFL teams.

The details

Fred Hale had been a familiar face at Notre Dame practices and games over the past five seasons. He served as the interim director of strength and conditioning for the last two years after the sudden resignation of Matt Balis. Hale's work with the Irish's strength and conditioning program was credited as a key factor in the team's ability to out-muscle opponents during the Freeman era.

  • Hale joined Notre Dame in 2021 and spent the last five seasons in South Bend.
  • Hale served as the interim director of strength and conditioning for the last two years.

The players

Fred Hale

The former assistant strength and conditioning coach at Notre Dame, who is now taking a job with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Marcus Freeman

The head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who has seen several of his assistant coaches depart for the NFL during his tenure.

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What they’re saying

“Fred Hale was a familiar face all over — in practices, at games, etc. — for the Fighting Irish for five years.”

— Tyler Horka, Reporter (Twitter)

What’s next

It remains to be seen if Notre Dame will promote from within to fill Hale's role or look to hire a new assistant strength and conditioning coach.

The takeaway

Notre Dame's coaching staff under Marcus Freeman has become a valuable pipeline for the NFL, with another assistant, Fred Hale, departing for a pro opportunity with the Philadelphia Eagles. This highlights Freeman's ability to develop talented coaches, but also the challenge of retaining them as the Fighting Irish program continues to gain national prominence.