When committed to the Notre Dame football program last Monday, their legacy status was part of the announcement. But their father, former Fighting Irish and NFL running back Julius Jones, recently said that while he’s happy his sons are planning to go to his alma mater, he’s even happier they’ll play for Marcus Freeman.
The elder Jones recently appeared on an episode of the Always Irish podcast, and host Mike Kennedy shared a “sneak peek” of their conversation with the former Golden Domer. The conversation obviously took a turn to his thought process after his sons both committed to his old school at the same time. He also talked about were engaging in negative recruiting.
“You know we've had that discussion before, and I think, from many of the conversations I've had with Coach Freeman, the impact that he's able to make on young men. And I'm not bulls—- you when I say this because, you know, I've seen it firsthand,” the former Notre Dame great said. “The impact that he's able to make on these young players, young men, young college students is way greater than in the NFL.”
“When you get to the league, man, that's a job. Everybody's just hired. If your a— isn't good, then you're fired. And there's really not much of an effect on a player.”
☘️#NotreDame legend Julius Jones' reaction to the Freeman to NFL rumors during his sons' recruitments to South Bend⬇️ pic.twitter.com/dWcSdGFqGl
— Always Irish ☘️ (@AlwaysIrishINC) June 28, 2026
Julius Jones praises Marcus Freeman after sons commit to Notre Dame football
They're going to do their job whether you're there or not because they have families to feed. In college, you actually get to, you know, take these kids and turn them into men and, you know. That's the difference.”
“For me and the person that I know he is, you know, from the last two years of spending time with him and talking to him, I think he understands the impact that he has in college is much greater than he could in the NFL.”
It’s clear that the ex-running back’s answer is why he was perfectly comfortable sending both of . He believes it’s more than just going to a good school, or his old school. It’s about the person that will be leading his sons as they grow and develop.
The thought process that the Notre Dame head coach can do more and make a greater impact in college than he can in the NFL could also be one of the reasons why Freeman continues to turn down other jobs. He’s spent the last few years hearing about one rumor after another that he was leaving for the NFL, or even for another college team. And yet, he still calls South Bend home.
Julius Jones’ comments likely echo what other former NFL dads feel, and that’s why the Fighting Irish have become a kind of NFL legacy pipeline. Jerome Bettis, Plaxico Burress and Larry Fitzgerald are who seem genuinely thrilled when their sons sign with Notre Dame. The Irish have a good thing going and a good man at the helm. For now, that’s more than enough to fight off any negative recruiting out there.
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