…but he changed his mind after Baylor lost to UCF in the Fiesta Bowl. While he did ultimately change his mind, I think it does weaken some of the long held beliefs here that he was a Baylor lifer but for his termination.

Former Baylor coach Art Briles told @On3 he had decided to accept 6-year deal to replace Mack Brown at Texas in 2014, but changed his mind after the Bears lost to UCF in the Fiesta Bowlhttps://t.co/x6F724MFso

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 19, 2026

3 years later when he was fired, I think he may have been somewhat of a lifer. I recall it turned out he built a new large home and acreage just after the UT situation. He was living in North Waco before then I recall,

But I thought he was BU through and through and would never leave us. Especially to a school in our own conference and a rival!

C. Jordan said:

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But I thought he was BU through and through and would never leave us. Especially to a school in our own conference and a rival!

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Everyone in high academia is a mercenary

Linda Livingstone would leave Baylor in a heart beat for twice her salary and a bigger brand name U

Academics or Athletics....they go where the money and prestige are

When Texas decided Mack wasn't winning enough, they thought they had Saban committed. They held a Mack Brown retirement party without asking him. DeLoss Dodds, the AD, got the message and retired as well.

Texas wasn't really prepared for that, and went and hired Steve Patterson to replace Dodds. Patterson's big win up to that time was making the Portland Trailblazers profitable through bread and water austerity measures.

Money problems don't happen at Texas. There was no use for his one skill. He was unapproachable and unprepared for the finesse required when multiple billionaire donors in the same room all want to be treated like the biggest big-shot. For all of Texas' problems at that time, most can be traced back to Patterson not being big enough to meet the moment.

Whatever the future held for Art Briles, working for Steve Patterson would have been worse.

Why would the UCF loss cause him not to take the 6 year contract at UT?

As much as I hate UT…that is one of the primo positions in all of college football. I don't understand why a Fiesta Bowl loss would keep him from taking that job.

C. Jordan said:

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But I thought he was BU through and through and would never leave us. Especially to a school in our own conference and a rival!

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Then you're dumb.

Guess if Art knew he was running a scandal ridden program he would have taken the job before the walls closed in.

I think youre missing his sarcasm.

Im waiting for Stranger to chime in to tell us how this effects Matt Rhules legacy here.

Redbrickbear said:

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C. Jordan said:

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But I thought he was BU through and through and would never leave us. Especially to a school in our own conference and a rival!

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Everyone in high academia is a mercenary

Linda Livingstone would leave Baylor in a heart beat for twice her salary and a bigger brand name U

Academics or Athletics....they go where the money and prestige are

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Damn, I wish!

boognish_bear said:

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Why would the UCF loss cause him not to take the 6 year contract at UT?

As much as I hate UT…that is one of the primo positions in all of college football. I don't understand why a Fiesta Bowl loss would keep him from taking that job.

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Its impossible to say for sure. Maybe the 2013 Baylor team, despite its success, wasn't as good as he thought it was and he wanted to win a NY6 bowl at Baylor before moving on?

Art Briles probably hates Baylor so he said what he said

marigold23 said:

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I did think this was already known… also that his decision to stay pissed off UT, which then led to UT/LHN journalists driving the publicity of the scandal.

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This!

C. Jordan said:

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But I thought he was BU through and through and would never leave us. Especially to a school in our own conference and a rival!

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The thing is … he could have gone to the flagship program in Texas, and he decided not to, so not sure what your point is. I guess you're disappointed that he was even tempted?

I never once in my life thought that he was Baylor through and through, or intended to coach here his entire life. All players and all coaches are mercenaries. Football for you and me is a hobby, and we're just sort of expected to be complacent fans that cheer and then make excuses or at least keep our mouths closed when times are tough. For the coaches and now players, it's primarily a job that they do to make large amounts of money. Sure, many still have a passion for the sport, but let's just keep some perspective

Stefano DiMera said:

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I think youre missing his sarcasm.

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Nope. I am mocking his sophomoric attempt at a straw man.

Stefano DiMera said:

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Im waiting for Stranger to chime in to tell us how this effects Matt Rhules legacy here.

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Matt Rhule lost me at Liberty 48 Baylor 45 in 2017. At home. It is fascinating to me how many sword polishers Rhule STILL has at Baylor.

RD2WINAGNBEAR86 said:

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Stefano DiMera said:

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Im waiting for Stranger to chime in to tell us how this effects Matt Rhules legacy here.

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Matt Rhule lost me at Liberty 48 Baylor 45 in 2017. At home. It is fascinating to me how many sword polishers Rhule STILL has at Baylor.

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Dave makes Matt look like Bear Bryant. That's really what it's about

Another almost horn

Robert Griffin III... a Texas Longhorn?@RGIII reveals how Mack Brown almost changed his college football destiny pic.twitter.com/g5sLWrcjeN

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) August 19, 2026

Here is what Briles said about almost taking the Texas job back in October of last year. Somehow the contract didn’t come up in a room full of Baylor fans… pic.twitter.com/lVZBM0pKLB https://t.co/KHJcGDf3jQ

— Royden Ogletree (@roydenogletree) August 19, 2026

boognish_bear said:

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Here is what Briles said about almost taking the Texas job back in October of last year. Somehow the contract didn’t come up in a room full of Baylor fans… pic.twitter.com/lVZBM0pKLB https://t.co/KHJcGDf3jQ

— Royden Ogletree (@roydenogletree) August 19, 2026

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What Briles said in this video was FAR from him accepting a 6 year contract with UT.

The big rumor I remember is that Briles was offended that Texas was asking for an interview and Briles felt like his credentials and track record were rock solid. And Briles walked away.

RD2WINAGNBEAR86 said:

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Stefano DiMera said:

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Im waiting for Stranger to chime in to tell us how this effects Matt Rhules legacy here.

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Matt Rhule lost me at Liberty 48 Baylor 45 in 2017. At home. It is fascinating to me how many sword polishers Rhule STILL has at Baylor.

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Obama is at Baylor?

RD2WINAGNBEAR86 said:

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boognish_bear said:

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Here is what Briles said about almost taking the Texas job back in October of last year. Somehow the contract didn’t come up in a room full of Baylor fans… pic.twitter.com/lVZBM0pKLB https://t.co/KHJcGDf3jQ

— Royden Ogletree (@roydenogletree) August 19, 2026

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What Briles said in this video was FAR from him accepting a 6 year contract with UT.

The big rumor I remember is that Briles was offended that Texas was asking for an interview and Briles felt like his credentials and track record were rock solid. And Briles walked away.

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What he said was had we won that Fiesta Bowl the UT thing "might" have come to fruition. He also seemed to indicate he turned down a proposed meeting with UT officials immediately after that game - before the game happened. At most the statement was just a confirmation that he was considering making the move at the time, which is something everybody already knew.

His history was to threaten to leave, and the school would offer to stay; then he would say to the new school. "Now, you make a better offer"