AUSTIN (KXAN) — With the NFL coaching carousel spinning, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian reportedly received interest from multiple teams, leading to a contract extension Saturday.
The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy reported that Sarkisian declined two interviews with NFL teams, parlaying those into a reported 1-year contract extension to keep him with the Longhorns until 2031. The length of the contract extension was first reported by Pete Nakos with On3 Sports.
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It’s the second consecutive year Sarkisian received a contract extension. Last year, he became one of the highest-paid college football coaches in the country following a 4-year extension that nearly doubled his base pay from $5.8 million to $10.3 million per year. Sarkisian got a $750,000 bonus for playing in the College Football Playoff semifinals under the 2023 extension.
After Sarkisian’s mentor Nick Saban retired from coaching at Alabama at the end of last season, there was concern that Sarkisian could leave for that job. Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte tacked four years onto Sarkisian’s initial 6-year deal and bumped the coach’s pay. With NFL teams on the phone, perhaps just trying to gauge Sarkisian’s interest, it was enough for the school to give him another year.
McMurphy said Del Conte and UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife were “key figures in getting the deal done.” Del Conte posted a photo of the trio on X at 2:52 p.m., all throwing up the “Hook’em Horns” hand signal at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Sarkisian is 38-17 in four seasons with back-to-back appearances in the CFP semifinals.
