Florida's Dan Mullen Addresses NFL Head Coaching Rumors
Florida Gators head coach Dan Mullen was provided an opportunity to completely shut down the idea of one day taking an NFL head coaching job on Tuesday.
After being name-dropped by ESPN's Adam Schefter as a college coach who was "open to going to the pros" in January, it was only right that Mullen was asked about his interest in the NFL right off the bat during his first spring football press conference.
Although Mullen shared that he did not conduct any interviews in hopes of landing a head coaching gig at the next level, he didn't exactly deny the possibility that the day could come.
“You know what, I didn’t speak, I didn’t interview with any NFL teams this year. So, you know, most of my focus was on getting us back to Atlanta to get back to the SEC Championship Game," Mullen said on Tuesday. “A lot of rumors out there, but I didn’t speak to anybody.”
So, were the rumors false about Mullen's openness of a jump to the pros? He wouldn't say, only clarifying that he did not interview with any NFL teams, which AllGators originally reported in January.
Shortly before that report, NFL Network included Mullen as a candidate for the New York Jets' head coaching vacancy. Oddsmakers even rewarded Mullen with the second-best chance of getting the job on Jan. 5, before San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh earned the title on Jan. 14.
All was quiet on UF's front during that stretch of time, leaving just about everyone wondering what could be in store for Mullen, and the Gators, future. Just because Mullen didn't conduct an interview with any interested franchises doesn't mean he wasn't open to one.
Another reporter, concerned that Mullen didn't actually answer the question he was asked, followed up about any possible intrigue from the 48-year-old to make an eventual jump from college to the pros.
“I’ll address it this way," Mullen responded. "I think one thing that’s really interesting, I think a lot of people are trying to figure out what the future of college football is going to hold and what that’s going to look like going forward. I love being here at the University of Florida. I think we have a great program. We have a great fan base, great history, the opportunity to be a championship program every single year.
"I think there are concerns with coaches is what the future of college football is going to look like," he continued.
"I think there’s a lot of uncertainties to it right now, of how that’s going to shape. That might not be completely answering your question, but I think that’s probably the fairest way as people look at things and look at the future is what is college football going to look like in three or four years. I think there’s a lot of uncertainty that we’re trying to figure out right now to see what our futures are going to hold.”
College football constantly undergoes change, that much is known. However, with Name, Image, and Likeness opportunities for athletes launching and set to expand, the rapid growth of the NCAA transfer portal as a second form of recruiting, and other factors looming large over the short and long-term outlook of the game, head coaching at the college level certainly isn't getting any easier.
Could those reasons be enough to lead Mullen out of the college ranks and into the NFL?
Following a three-game losing streak to bring the 2020 season to an end, he'd need to turn his program back in the right direction to obtain an interview in the first place. But if there's one sure thing, while he hasn't landed an opportunity yet, Mullen hasn't denied any interest in one.
