"Took me all of about 60 seconds": Texas football's $10M man Steve Sarkisian speaks on turning down the offer to replace retired Nick Saban

Steve Sarkisian was one of the options considered by Alabama following the sudden retirement of Nick Saban in January. The Texas head coach served two years as offensive coordinator under Saban, which makes him an easy choice for the Crimson Tide.

In his interview with ESPN on Wednesday, Steve Sarkisian admitted he considered the possibility of taking the Bama job but didn't think about it for so long. He appreciated his time in Tuscaloosa under Saban but believes he is onto something beautiful in Texas.

“Naturally, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it,” Sarkisian told ESPN. “But it took me all of about 60 seconds to say, ‘Yeah, I’m not doing that.’ I had an awesome two years at Alabama and loved my time under Coach Saban, but ultimately you want to reap what you sow.”

Steve Sarkisian recognizes the work done at Texas

Steve Sarkisian was handed the Texas head coaching job in 2021 with the responsibility of returning the struggling program to the pinnacle of college football. Four years down the lane, the coach seems to have achieved the goal, making the Longhorns a force in the landscape.

The Longhorns have recorded steady growth season after season since Sarkisian took over the program. They won the Big 12 championship last season and made it to the College Football Playoff. The coach believed the Texas project was not worth leaving at that point.

“We’ve poured a ton into this program for three years, and we’re on the cusp, I think, of going on a run that will be epic,” Sarkisian said. “I believe that. Our staff does, and our players do, too, just the support we have and the culture we’ve created here. Why leave something like that?

The zeal to build his own legacy

The main reason Steve Sarkisian made his way out of Alabama was to go build his own legacy as a coach elsewhere. He made this clear to Saban while deciding to leave Tuscaloosa.

“I remember talking to him in his office and it was, 'Coach, I want to go build my own legacy. I don't want to just stay here to continue yours,'" recounted Sarkisian.

“So those same thoughts came over me when I heard he was retiring. We're building something here that I think is going to be sustainable for a long, long time.”

Sarkisian reached an agreement on a new deal that will keep him in Texas until at least 2030 in February. The deal will pay him over $10 million annually in wages. The agreement also has a host of performance-based bonuses.