While Steve Sarkisian’s play-calling has become a hot topic in Austin, a bigger story dropped Saturday morning. And it could shake up the entire college football landscape. Dianna Russini of The Athletic broke the news that Sarkisian’s camp has started making moves behind the scenes.

“I’m told that representatives for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian have let NFL decision makers know that he would be interested in potential head coaching openings, including the Titans,” Russini posted on X.

The timing is eyebrow-raising, to say the least. Texas sits at 5-2 and still has a realistic shot at the Co Playoff. Yet Steve Sarkisian’s already putting out resumes for what could be his next gig.​

This isn’t Steve Sarkisian’s first rodeo with the NFL. He spent time as the Raiders’ quarterbacks coach in 2004. He also served as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator from 2017-18, where his offense ranked sixth in total yards and 10th in scoring. However, he has never secured the top position at the professional level. Now, at 51 years old with an 89-54 record as a college head coach, this might be his best shot. The Tennessee Titans just fired Brian Callahan after a disastrous 4-19 start to his tenure, making them the first, and currently only, confirmed opening. But with several coaches sitting on scorching hot seats, more opportunities are coming.​

Miami Dolphins

Mike McDaniel tops every hot seat list in the NFL right now, and for good reason. The Dolphins are 1-6, their offense ranks among the bottom in the league, and McDaniel’s locker room is completely falling apart. This is the same coach who was supposed to be an offensive mastermind when Miami hired him. But now he’s got into a public feud with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after Tua called out teammates for showing up late to meetings.

From the Dolphins’ perspective, they need someone who can actually unlock their offensive potential and restore order to what’s become a complete circus. Steve Sarkisian’s track record of building top-25 scoring offenses at Texas and winning a national championship as Alabama’s offensive coordinator in 2020 makes him exactly the proven offensive mind Miami would target to salvage this mess.​

New York Giants

The Giants are 2-5 and have turned to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, which means Brian Daboll’s seat is getting uncomfortably warm. New York’s front office is going to need someone who can develop its young quarterback and build a modern offensive system from scratch. Sarkisian’s resume as a QB developer speaks for itself. He’s coached Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, and now Arch Manning through their college careers.

The Giants replacing one offensive-minded coach with another makes perfect sense when you’re trying to maximize a rookie quarterback’s development window. Sarkisian’s ability to adapt his scheme and consistently produce top-tier offenses would be exactly what New York needs to turn things around.​

Tennessee Titans

Tennessee already made its move, firing Brian Callahan on Monday after just 23 games and a brutal 4-19 record. The Titans are actively looking for someone who can develop Cam Ward into a franchise quarterback. And that’s precisely where Sarkisian’s value proposition comes in. From Tennessee’s standpoint, they need a coach with legitimate offensive credentials who can fix what’s been the NFL’s worst offense this season. Sarkisian’s interest in the Titans’ job was specifically mentioned in Russini’s report. And given that it’s the only current opening, he’s got a head start on building relationships with their front office.

The Titans are desperate for competence at this point. Moreover, Sarkisian’s college success, including back-to-back playoff appearances and 25 wins over the past two seasons, represents a massive upgrade over what they’ve been dealing with.​

Whether Sarkisian actually makes the jump remains to be seen. However, the fact that his representatives are shopping him around in mid-October tells you everything you need to know about where his head’s at. Texas might still make the playoffs. But their head coach is already thinking about his next move. With more coaches likely to get fired as the NFL season spirals for struggling teams, Sarkisian could have his pick of opportunities come January, assuming the Longhorns don’t collapse down the stretch and tank his stock entirely.​