Steve Sarkisian 'Locked In' With Texas Longhorns Amid NFL Buzz

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian sent a message on social media ahead of the Cotton Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Zach Dimmitt | 18 Hours Ago

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Texas Longhorns

AUSTIN -- It seems that Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has heard the murmurings surrounding the reported interest he's receiving from NFL teams.

Ahead of Friday night's Cotton Bowl matchup against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff Semifinal, Sarkisian took to X (Twitter) to send a message to Longhorn Nation, and made it clear that he's at Texas for the long haul. NFL insider Adam Schefter had reported on ESPN Sunday that Sarkisian has "drawn some interest from the NFL level."

"Unified. Focused. Relentless. Together with our Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife and Athletic Director CDC, we’re locked in. Let’s make history!," Sarkisian tweeted.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian disputes a call during the game against Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. / Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The tweet came a few hours after news broke that University of Texas President Jay Hartzell to take the same role in Dallas at Southern Methodist University. Interestinly enough, the picture Sarkisian included in the post cropped out Hartzell from Sarkisian's introductory press conference in 2021.

Take a look:

Unified. Focused. Relentless. Together with our Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife and Athletic Director CDC, we’re locked in. Let’s make history!
🤘🏽 #HookEm #TexasFight pic.twitter.com/ajyvAGgbp3
— Steve Sarkisian (@CoachSark) January 7, 2025

Sarkisian has NFL coaching experience, spent three total years in assistant roles for the then-Oakland Raiders (2004) and Atlanta Falcons (2017-18). But ahead of the Peach Bowl, Sarkisian made it clear that he isn't thinking about the NFL right now.

"I have interest in winning on January 1st," Sarkisian said when asked if he has interest in returning to the NFL. "That's what I have interest in. That's a hypothetical. I'm not doing that with you. I don't know."

Per the meeting agenda from the UT System Board of Regents from February, Sarkisian has made $10.3 million in 2024. His new seven-year deal with run through the 2030 season, when he is set to make up to $10.9 million. Unless a team is willing to make him one of the NFL's highest-paid coaches, it doesn't seem like an extra million will be enough to move the needle based on how things have gone so far at Texas.

After going 5-7 during his first season in Austin in 2021, the Longhorns went 8-5 the following year. Texas has now put together back-to-back 10-win seasons along with consecutive CFP Semifinal appearances. If things continue to trend upwards for the Longhorns, the NFL offers will inevitably be flying Sarkisian's way whether he likes it or not.

Sarkisian and the Longhorns will kick off against Ohio State on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT from Arlington.