Steve Sarkisian’s name has been all over NFL circles this week. Dianna Russini broke the news Saturday morning that Sarkisian’s representatives have been shopping him around to NFL front offices. She specifically mentioned interest in the Tennessee Titans’ job that just opened up. Now, the college football world has started wondering if the Longhorns’ coach is actually serious about making the jump to the professional level. But the real question is whether he’s prepared for what comes with that move.​

That’s where things get interesting from a financial standpoint. Danny Davis put it pretty bluntly on X: “FWIW… Steve Sarkisian’s 2025 salary at Texas: $10.8 million. Brian Callahan’s 2025 salary with the Tennessee Titans: $3 million.” The comparison is jarring. Steve Sarkisian currently ranks as the fifth-highest-paid coach in all of college football, trailing only Kirby Smart, Ryan Day, Lincoln Riley, and Dabo Swinney. 

He’s making nearly four times what Callahan was earning before getting canned after a disastrous 4-19 stint in Tennessee. If Steve Sarkisian were to take the Titans’ job at something close to what Callahan was making, he’d be looking at a massive pay cut, potentially more than $7 million per year.​ Now, to be fair, Tennessee isn’t necessarily going to lowball their next head coach.

Callahan was a first-time head coach when he signed that deal. And teams typically pay a premium for proven commodities. The Titans could absolutely come up to the $6-8 million range or even higher for someone with Steve Sarkisian’s resume. He has a national championship as Alabama’s offensive coordinator, back-to-back CFP appearances at Texas, and a track record of developing elite quarterbacks. 

But on the flip side? Even if the Titans match his current salary, Sarkisian is on a trajectory to make over $12 million by 2030 at Texas. He’s got job security through 2031, as he signed an extension last year. It reportedly had a buyout clause, which starts at $10 million in 2024, then drops every year. So, another financial decision for the 51-year-old to consider. Taking an NFL job, especially with a struggling franchise like Tennessee, is a legitimate risk.

The Titans last won the AFC South back in 2021. And it was the same year that they made it to the playoffs. Currently struggling with a 1-5 record, plus have scored 20+ points just once. Let’s not forget that last year, Sarkisian already turned down interest from NFL teams before signing the extension. But if he’s serious about testing himself at the highest level of football, maybe the pay cut is worth it. 

A cautionary tale for Steve Sarkisian

The financial implications of Sarkisian’s potential NFL move are one thing, but there’s a more troubling pattern that Texas fans should be watching closely. This exact scenario played out in the SEC just four years ago. It didn’t end well for the coach involved. Dan Mullen was riding high at Florida with a 29-6 record when NFL rumors started swirling around him in 2021. When asked about it during his spring press conference that year, Mullen played coy.

“You know what, I didn’t speak, I didn’t interview with any NFL teams this year. So, you know, most of my focus was on getting us back to Atlanta to get back to the SEC Championship Game. A lot of rumors out there, but I didn’t speak to anybody.” He even framed it around concerns about where college football was headed, saying, “I think there are concerns with coaches is what the future of college football is going to look like.” Sound familiar?

That’s basically the same position Sarkisian finds himself in now. He has a good overall record but a struggling season, and his NFL interest is leaking out at the worst possible time.​ Ten months after those NFL whispers, Mullen was fired after a brutal 24-23 overtime loss to Missouri that capped a fourth straight loss to Power 5 teams. His promising tenure at Florida completely unraveled once the NFL talk started circulating.

Now Sarkisian’s sitting at 5-2 with Texas ranked 81st nationally in scoring offense at just 26.7 points per game. The parallels are almost eerie. With a realistic playoff shot this season still a possibility, will the Texas coach jump the gun?