Steve Sarkisian NFL rumors: NFL insider reports Texas coach set to be approached by several teams during hiring season

Steve Sarkisian is still busy this college football season. His Texas Longhorns have advanced to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils 39-31 in double overtime in the second round. However, with the NFL regular season ending this weekend, the head coaching carousel is set to start.

Many teams that did not qualify for the playoffs will likely look to make coaching changes in the coming weeks. ESPN Insider Adam Schefter reported Sunday morning that teams will look to inquire about Steve Sarkisian's availability.

"I would expect some teams to call and inquire about the Texas head coach, Steve Sarkisian, who's drawn some interest from the NFL level," Schefter reported.

If Sarkisian leaves the Texas Longhorns to join an NFL team, it would be his third time coaching in the NFL. However, he has never been a head coach at the NFL level.

His only times coaching at the NFL level came as a quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders in 2004 and as the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons from 2017 to 2018.

He helped the Raiders accumulate over 4,000 passing yards, which ranked eighth in the NFL that season. However, he opted to return to college football afterward.

Steve Sarkisian leaving Texas would open up the possibility of high-profile transfers

When a head coach leaves a college program, it is common for players on that team to transfer to different schools. This is especially true when looking at the top players on the team who joined the team to play under a specific coach. That will likely be the case if Steve Sarkisian decides to leave Texas for an NFL team.

The most high-profile transfer that would be possible would be quarterback Arch Manning. Manning has been with the Longhorns for two years but has had limited playing time behind starter Quinn Ewers. Next season, he is widely expected to be the starter.

However, part of the reason the Manning family has been comfortable with Arch Manning largely sitting out the past two years is he has had the opportunity to learn from Steve Sarkisian. If Sarkisian leaves, that will no longer be the case and he could choose to transfer.

However, it is important to note that although there has been a report that some NFL teams have shown interest in Sarkisian, that does not mean he wants to leave. So, there is still a strong possibility he could stick with the Longhorns next season.