The NFL usually searches its own collection of coordinators when filling head-coaching vacancies. That will not prevent teams from checking whether one of college football’s biggest names is ready to leave campus behind.
These three college football coaches could receive calls once the 2026 NFL season ends.
Marcus Freeman is the easiest name to place on the list because NFL teams have already expressed interest. Freeman announced in December that he would remain at Notre Dame for the 2026 season. That declaration followed reported interest from teams like the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans.
The 40-year-old has compiled a 43-12 record at Notre Dame while leading the program to a national championship appearance. He has also demonstrated an ability to manage the scrutiny, recruiting demands and enormous expectations attached to one of the sport’s most recognizable brands.
Freeman’s defensive background should not hurt him. The NFL has recently been more willing to consider younger defensive coaches who can establish a culture and hire the right offensive staff.
He has no NFL coaching experience, which creates a legitimate question. However, Freeman revealed that he has spoken with league executives and used those conversations to learn what professional organizations seek in a head coach. Another successful Notre Dame season would make those conversations considerably more serious.
Ryan Day has already crossed off two items that once threatened to chase him out of Columbus. Ohio State won the national championship following the 2024 season, and Day finally ended the program’s four-game losing streak against Michigan in 2025. With those enormous headaches temporarily gone, leaving for the NFL would no longer resemble an escape.
Day has an offensive background and previous NFL experience as a quarterbacks coach with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. He has also spent years developing NFL quarterbacks while managing a roster containing professional talent at nearly every position.
His 82-12 record at Ohio State is absurd, even after accounting for the program’s considerable advantages. Day would make sense for a franchise with a young quarterback and an ownership group searching for a coach capable of overseeing the entire operation. If Ohio State makes another deep playoff run, his name should appear frequently during the 2027 hiring cycle.
Steve Sarkisian would offer NFL teams something they covet almost irrationally: an accomplished offensive coach with a history of developing quarterbacks.
Sarkisian has transformed Texas into a regular national championship contender. More importantly for NFL executives, he designs and calls the offense himself. A franchise hiring Sarkisian would not have to worry about losing its offensive architect every January after another team offers the coordinator a promotion.
He also has professional experience. Sarkisian coached quarterbacks for the then-Oakland Raiders in 2004 and served as Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
There are reasons for skepticism. Sarkisian has one of the best jobs in college football, Texas can compete financially with almost any NFL organization and recruiting elite talent provides an advantage that does not exist in the pros.
Still, NFL owners love offense, quarterback development and recognizable names. Sarkisian checks every box without requiring an owner to squint particularly hard.
Freeman has received the most concrete interest, while Day and Sarkisian have resumes built for the NFL. None needs to leave his current position. That rarely stops professional teams from asking.
