College football coaches leaving for the NFL isn’t a new phenomenon. It might even be a dying pipeline among the big names in the sport, given that NIL provides coaches at top programs a major talent advantage every year while the NFL still has parity.
Still, several major names in college football have left their posts for the pros in recent seasons. Jim Harbaugh left Michigan after the 2023 season for the Los Angeles Chargers, while Chip Kelly ditched his offensive coordinator job at Ohio State in 2024 for a one-year stint with the Las Vegas Raiders last season.
It was a remarkable career move for Jeff Hafley, who left a struggling stint as head coach at Boston College in 2023 to spend two years in Green Bay Packers as the offensive coordinator before landing the head coaching job with the Miami Dolphins this offseason.
So, who is the next coach to make the jump to the pros? Notre Dame‘s Marcus Freeman drew interest this offseason, but CBS Sports insiders have other names at the top of their lists — including Ryan Day at Ohio State and Steve Sarkisian at Texas.
“If Ryan Day were to win a second championship, I could see him say, ‘What else can I do here?'” CBS Sports’ Danny Kanell said, via Cover 3.
