Just a few days earlier, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini dropped an insider’s tea that Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian was eyeing potential coaching jobs in the NFL (Titans), which caused a stir among fans, specifically Texas fans. It was a big surprise since he’s been doing so well at Texas. He led the team to back-to-back College Football Playoff semis and earned a contract extension through 2031 earlier this year. Even though Steve Sarkisian and his agent denied the rumor, Dianna Russini doubled down and stood by her words with a slightly unusual tone.

On October 29, Russini appeared on The Dan Le Batard Show to defend her report and clear things up. She explained her side of the story and didn’t suggest Sarkisian was planning to leave. (via Landon Holifield on X) “Unfortunately, they never added that Steve Sarkisian wants to stay at Texas, right?” Russini said, explaining that people misunderstood what she meant.

Russini also clarified that her information didn’t come directly from Sarkisian or his agent, Jimmy Sexton. She said, “Steve didn’t call me on Saturday morning and be like, ‘Hey, report this.’” Instead, her report came from her own sources around the NFL, who said people in the league had been told Sarkisian might be open to coaching at the next level someday. In other words, the report wasn’t a rumor by Sarkisian’s camp – it was based on what NFL insiders reported to her. Still, some believe she made it all up.

The timing of the report wasn’t ideal for Texas. It came out right before a big SEC game against Mississippi State, which the Longhorns narrowly escaped with a dramatic overtime win. After the game, Sarkisian expressed frustration with Russini’s report. Sarkisian also spoke out, calling the report “absolutely ridiculous” and “completely unprofessional,” and promising his commitment to his team during the season’s do-or-die part.

Even his agent said the report was “patently false and wildly inaccurate,” as Sarkisian focused solely on coaching the Texas football team. However, Russini stood by her reporting, insisting she had not said anything false or meant to cause trouble.

Rumors suggest Steve Sarkisian still goes under the NFL radar

Significantly, Russini articulated that having NFL interest doesn’t imply that Sarkisian’s disloyalty to Texas comes into question. It’s just part of being a successful coach. “Does Steve Sarkisian have thoughts about coaching in the NFL? Absolutely,” she said. “We’ll just see how this goes the rest of the year.”

She added that it’s normal and even bright for coaches to consider all of their career options. “It would be smart business to always have options outside of Texas,” said Russini. Sarkisian’s primary goal is to make a deep playoff run after getting booted twice in the semifinals. The Longhorns are now 6-2 and can’t afford to lose another game.

Plus, Texas is officially entering its most brutal stretch – they face No. 9-ranked Vanderbilt, then travel to the home of the Bulldogs. Their final two games of the season are against a high-powered Arkansas Razorbacks offense and a rivalry matchup with the No. 3-ranked Aggies. That’s three ranked opponents in one month.

With the way the Longhorns are playing, their chances of making the playoffs feel pretty slim. So yeah, safe to say Steve Sarkisian barely has time to think about anything other than a playoff push. Still, Russini believes there’s “something there” between Sarkisian and potential NFL interest in the future. Her main point is that while Sarkisian focuses on Texas right now, it’s normal for a coach with his success to keep all possibilities open for what comes next.