Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns hit the road to Starkville for a Week 9 SEC clash with Mississippi State, carrying a 5-2 overall record and 2-1 mark in conference play. Losses to Ohio State and Florida have already dented the résumé, but the bigger goal remains: a third consecutive College Football Playoff berth and the program’s first national title since 2005.
The week, however, began with an unexpected jolt. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported 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.'”
Within hours, Sarkisian’s representatives—agents Jimmy Sexton and Ed Marynowitz—pushed back hard. They told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero:
In response to that report, Sarkisian’s agents have put out more information. They spoke to Tom Pelissero and fired back about the idea that the head coach is looking to head to the NFL.
“Any reports regarding communications on coaching opportunities with NFL teams are patently false and wildly inaccurate. Sark is solely focused on coaching the the University of Texas football team.”
The denial landed decisively. Sarkisian, hired in 2021, is locked into a contract that runs through 2031 and pays him $10.8 million in 2025—fifth-highest among FBS head coaches.
Still, the timing stung. Redshirt sophomore Arch Manning, the highly touted successor at quarterback, has thrown for 1,449 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions through seven games. With two defeats already on the board and five regular-season contests left, every snap carries playoff weight.
Saturday’s visit to Davis Wade Stadium offers no breather. Mississippi State may be rebuilding, but SEC road environments rarely forgive complacency.
For now, the NFL chatter is silenced. Sarkisian’s camp has drawn a line: the focus is Austin, the goal is a ring, and the contract—both paper and verbal—says he’s Longhorn through 2031.
