Steve Sarkisian recently became part of a viral moment after walking away at the start of an interview. This wasn’t the only interview he walked out on during the night. Since then, commenters have been weighing in on the story.
Steve Sarkisian Is The Current Head Coach At The University Of Texas
Sarkisian is a football coach and a former pro football player himself. He played professionally with the Saskatchewan Roughriders before becoming offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons.
As a coach, Sarkisian is currently the head football coach at the University of Texas. He previously held this position at the University of Washington from 2009 to 2013 and the University of Southern California from 2014 to 2015.
Recently, ESPN reporter Holly Rowe tried to speak with Sarkisian just after the Longhorns’ 24–23 victory over No. 1 team Ohio State in Austin. She began to comment, “Coach, this is one of the most…”
However, Sarkisian cut her off, chiming in, “Let’s go, Texas fight! Let’s go, Texas fight! Hook ’em!” The head coach then strode off. Rowe, who was visibly upset by what happened, also appeared to walk off camera.
Commenters Shared Mixed Reactions; Some Criticized Sarkisian, While Others Imagined Where He Was Coming From
According to The Athletic, Sarkisian was also reportedly supposed to talk with ESPN’s Laura Rutledge at halftime. However, he also bailed on that following technical issues. Rutledge said on the air that the coach “had waited a long time [and] been very patient” during the delay. According to the outlet, a Texas spokesperson said that the technical difficulties came up again after the game and were also behind Sarkisian’s behavior with Rowe.
The moment between Sarkisian and Rowe soon got shared on social media. Some criticized Sarkisian’s professionalism. As SportsCenter anchor Madelyn Burke shared, “Honestly, this is just rude of Sark. Holly is a total pro with a job to do.”
Honestly, this is just rude of Sark. Holly is a total pro with a job to do. https://t.co/ecvLaAHicj
— Madelyn Burke (@MadelynBurke) September 13, 2026
Emmanuel Acho, a former Texas player and current Fox Sports analyst, also weighed in on the story. He ultimately expressed sympathy for both the reporter and the coach.
Acho expressed, “As a Texas alum (who was a few feet away) [and] Holly Rowe fan, here are my thoughts: A: This was the biggest win of Sark’s [head coaching] career [and] most electric that stadium has ever been. He wanted to immediately celebrate with the players [and] coaches he made history with. He should be able to do that without being criticized. B: Holly wanted to do her job thoroughly [and] be a part of the moment. That’s a fair [and] human desire.” Acho also felt that Rowe could have been a bit more understanding in the moment and said something like, “Coach is fired up and wants to go celebrate! Fellas, back to you!’”
Honestly, this is just rude of Sark. Holly is a total pro with a job to do. https://t.co/ecvLaAHicj
— Madelyn Burke (@MadelynBurke) September 13, 2026
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John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.