A new report claims Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is eyeing an NFL head-coaching job hours before the No. 22 Longhorns are set to take on Mississippi State.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports Sarkisian is interested in the Tennessee Titans job after they fired Brian Callahan earlier this week.
“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 reported.
Disappointing Season Fuels Speculation
The Longhorns have struggled after being ranked No. 1 in the preseason. Sarkisian has led Texas to a 5-2 record with road losses to Ohio State and Florida, which just fired Billy Napier. The Longhorns also survived an upset scare last week against SEC-worst Kentucky, defeating the Wildcats 16-13 in overtime.
Quarterback Arch Manning hasn’t developed into the star many predicted. He struggled against Kentucky, going 12-of-27 for 132 yards with no touchdowns. Manning has four games with 170 passing yards or fewer and just one 300-yard performance. Overall, he has completed 60.3% of his passes for 1,449 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing 58 times for 193 yards and five scores.
Sarkisian, who makes $10.8 million per year and is signed through 2031, has NFL experience. He was the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons in 2017 and 2018.
Following the report, Sarkisian’s agents, Jimmy Sexton and Ed Marynowitz, fired back, calling it “patently false.”
“Any reports regarding communications on coaching opportunities with NFL teams are patently false and wildly inaccurate. Sark is solely focused on coaching the University of Texas football team,” they said in a statement posted on X.
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— CAA Football (@CAA_Football) October 25, 2025
Sarkisian has led Texas to back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances. In five seasons with the Longhorns, Sarkisian is 43-19, including 2-3 in bowl games.
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Matt Higgins worked in national and local news for 15 years. He started out as an overnight production assistant ... More about Matt Higgins