Is Steve Sarkisian to the NFL a potential move? Realistic chances for Texas coach before Cotton Bowl

The upcoming NFL coaching carousel is expected to have at least a quarter of the league looking for a new coach. However, one intriguing name has been thrown in as ESPN's Adam Schefter said that the expectation is that some teams will call and inquire about Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian.

This is certainly an interesting move, as he only had a few years of NFL coaching experience: as the Oakland Raiders quarterbacks coach in 2004 and the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator from 2017 to 2020. Since leaving the Falcons, he has been the coach of the Texas Longhorns, who are just two wins away from their first national championship under his reign.

Is Steve Sarkisian's transition to the NFL a genuine opportunity? Or is it merely talk? Let's examine the details more closely.

Steve Sarkisian to the NFL?

The Texas Longhorns have just agreed to a contract extension with coach Steve Sarkisian in Feb. 2024 and he is officially under contract until 2030. While coaches leaving while under contract is not a new phenomenon, his buyout with the University of Texas is massive.

Are NFL teams going to want to help pay that down? That is a hefty price for a coach with little NFL experience. Of course, we have to ask if Steve Sarkisian wants to join the NFL right now. He is guaranteed $10.3 million per season and has one of the most talented rosters in college football.

Given the program's back-to-back College Football Playoffs and the prospect of Archie Manning being poised to become the next quarterback, it's hard to envision Sarkisian considering a leap to the NFL now.

At the time of writing, three teams have an opening for a head coach: the New York Jets, the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints. Those are not very stable ownership situations that will allow a coach to grow and create a successful culture, so unless there is a dream job opening that checks all the right boxes, expect Sarkisian to stay with the Texas Longhorns for a long time.

This feels more of a Dan Hurley situation than it does being a Jim Harbaugh one.