The truth behind Steve Sarkisian’s decision to turn down the NFL and stay in Texas: Arch Manning is entirely to blame

Steve Sarkisian‘s name surfaced in connection with multiple NFL coaching vacancies this offseason, including reports linking him to the Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars.

However, neither situation materialized.

The Cowboys opted to promote offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, while Jacksonville secured former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Liam Coen.

Sarkisian’s explanation

Despite speculation, Sarkisian made it clear that his focus was never on leaving Texas. As the Longhorns gear up for spring practice, he doubled down on his commitment to the program and its championship aspirations.

“I came to the University of Texas, and I’ve said this numerous times but I want to be really clear: I didn’t come here to put on a hat to say I’m a head coach again,” he said.

“It was a long journey to get back to this seat. I came here, I was very clear in my opening press conference and I’ve been very clear along the way, to win championships. We’ve got a lot of unfinished business.”

Sarkisian also addressed why his name was tied to NFL openings, explaining that his priority has always been strengthening the Texas program.

“I wasn’t entertaining anything that was beyond making sure I had a really good job here, that I could solidify the job here, that I could hire the best people I could here, that I could recruit the best players I could here to go try to go do that. I’m proud of the work that we’ve done,” he added.

While Texas has made significant strides under Sarkisian, the biggest milestone still eludes him-a national championship.

“A ton of pride in what we’ve done, but the mission is not complete,” he explained.

“I didn’t ever want to be a program that was a one-hit wonder, that was able just to do it one year then would fall off. I think we’ve built this thing in a way that we’ve been consistently growing, and that we’ve been growing not only off the field but on the field.”

The Arch Manning factor and Texas’ championship window

Sarkisian‘s confidence in Texas’ trajectory is strongly tied to his quarterback, Arch Manning.

While Manning has yet to establish himself as an elite college passer, his name and pedigree bring an undeniable level of excitement to the program.

With the right system and development, Sarkisian believes Manning can help elevate the Longhorns to national title contention.