Rumors About Steve Sarkisian Leaving Texas For NFL Beginning to Swirl

AUSTIN -- Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian is gearing up for Saturday's road game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs but amid the SEC slate, some rumors are suddenly emerging that will be impossible to ignore.

According to reports from NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Sarkisian is "interested" in potential head coach openings in the NFL.

Sarkisian is in his fifth season at Texas, bringing the program back to national relevance while posting a 42-19 record and securing two College Football Playoff Semifinal appearances.

At Least One NFL Team Reportedly Has Caught Steve Sarkisian's Eye

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian claps during warmups before the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

According to Russini's report, the head coaching vacancy in Nashville for the Tennessee Titans could be of interest for Sarkisian. The Titans fired Brian Callahan this season after posting a 4-19 record since the start of the 2024 campaign.

"I’m told that representatives for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian have let NFL decision makers know that he would be interested in potential head coaching openings, including the Titans," Russini wrote on X.

In the event that he were to join Tennessee, Sarkisian would be able to bring his quarterback experience to the Titans while taking No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward under his wing.

Multiple former Longhorns currently play for the Titans, including tight end Gunnar Helm, defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat and safety Quandre Diggs. Sarkisian coached both Helm and Sweat at Texas.

Steve Sarkisian Contract Details

In February, the University of Texas System board of regents approved a raise and contract extension for Sarkisian.

According to ESPN, this extended Sarkisian's contract by one year through the 2031 season. Additionally, the decision increased his salary for the 2025 season from $10.4 million to $10.8 million, while "annual raises will push his salary to $12.3 million by the final year," per the report.

Sarkisian is still under contract for multiple seasons, so it will be interesting to see how the contract situation plays out in the event that he does end up leaving Austin for the NFL.

Steve Sarkisian's NFL Experience

Sarkisian already has NFL experience but has yet to be a head coach at the professional level.

He served as the quarterbacks coach for the then-Oakland Raiders in 2004 before eventually returning to the league over a decade later to become the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons for two seasons.

He eventually returned to the collegiate ranks at Alabama before being hired at Texas in 2021 to replace Tom Herman.