Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman says he behaved in a "respectful and professional manner while protecting his family."
An assistant high school wrestling coach accused Freeman of pushing him during a recent wrestling tournament, but the St. Joseph County prosecutor says there wasn’t enough evidence to charge him with battery.
“I was confident in this outcome because I know I did not intentionally touch anyone in a rude, angry or disrespectful way,” Freeman said during a press conference Wednesday.
Freeman thanked Notre Dame, Penn High School, the Mishawaka Police Department and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. But he took aim at reporters who he felt didn’t uphold journalistic integrity.
"Had they handled themselves more professionally and waited for more facts to become available, this would not have become a sensationalized story making national headlines," Freeman said. "Because they chose not to do so, my family and I have been dragged through the mud unnecessarily with clickbait headlines."
He said the scrutiny that comes with being a public figure shouldn’t extend to his children.
