Speculation is growing that Steve Sarkisian could leave Texas for the NFL within the next few years as his stock rises.
The whispers around Austin aren’t new. What’s different now is the tone. For years, talk of Steve Sarkisian leaving Texas football for the NFL felt like offseason noise.
Now, with the Longhorns firmly reestablished as a national contender and fully embedded in the SEC, the conversation carries more weight.
Sarkisian has rebuilt Texas into a legitimate powerhouse. He stabilized quarterback play, modernized the offense and pushed the program back into the College Football Playoff picture. That kind of body of work doesn’t go unnoticed, especially at the professional level.
According to OU Insider’s Parker Thune, there is “a very real chance” Sarkisian could be gone from Texas within the next two to three years.
Importantly, that wouldn’t be because of friction with the university. It wouldn’t resemble the messy exits of the past. Instead, it could be opportunity knocking.
And Sarkisian has answered that knock before.
Before returning to college football, he served as offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, calling plays at the highest level. His offensive philosophy - heavy on quarterback development, creative route concepts and adaptable formations - mirrors what today’s NFL teams crave. Pro franchises are constantly searching for offensive minds who can maximize young quarterbacks on rookie contracts.
Sarkisian checks those boxes. The financial element no longer tilts heavily toward the NFL either. Texas can pay like a pro franchise. That means this wouldn’t be about chasing a bigger paycheck. It would be about challenge, legacy and timing.
The college football landscape is also shifting. NIL collectives, transfer portal management and expanded playoff politics now consume a head coach’s daily life.
Some coaches thrive in that chaos. Others may prefer the structure of the NFL, where roster control is clearer and recruiting battles don’t dominate the calendar.
For now, both Sarkisian and Texas officials publicly dismiss the speculation. But coaching cycles move fast. All it takes is the right NFL owner, the right quarterback vacancy and the right contract.
Sarkisian restored Texas football. The next question isn’t whether NFL teams would call. It’s whether he’d answer.