Jordan Burroughs opens up on possibility of becoming college wrestling head coach

Jordan Burroughs could be the next 21st century wrestling legend to become a head coach at the college level, should he choose. The 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist and former Nebraska star recently opened up about the possibility of becoming a head coach of a program.

Burroughs currently resides back east and runs his All I See Is Gold Academy, coaching youth wrestling and being able to train with senior level partners. He didn’t make the Olympic team in 2024, so there were questions if he would ultimately retire.

While he didn’t do that, Burroughs mentioned he plans to stay competitive, but college coaching appeals to him more these days, despite its challenges. When you see a school like Oklahoma State make a splash with David Taylor, it’s hard not to envision Burroughs getting a similar deal with a program.

“Here’s the thing, later in my career, my wrestling just became a passion project,” Burroughs said on FloWrestling Radio Live Monday. “It was really no longer lucrative for me to wrestle. I actually, and I say this humbly, respectfully, but I made more money in 2024 than I have in my entire career. And so in the year that I wrestled the least, I made the most. And so the goal for me has been to compete and train at a high level because I love the game and not because of what it can provide for me. And so from a coaching perspective, it’s the same thing. I’m not looking at David Taylor’s salary and saying, oh, I need to get into coaching … 

“I’m in a good place, so this is why I’m able to kind of sit and relax and rest and do what I want to do … But I want to win. I want to play. I just want to play. I like to play, bro. You know, I mean, like, if I’m in a casino and I’m walking by a craps table, I have a hard time just standing by watching.” 

Burroughs is a six-time World Champion and the 2012 Olympic champion, holding the American record for most gold medals in freestyle wrestling in a career. Considering one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers of all-time, it’d be hard to say no to him if he wanted to coach.

Jordan Burroughs a future Division I college head coach?

“Being in youth wrestling, it’s impactful, and it’s empowering, and I love it man,” Burroughs said. “I’m committed to these families in our community. I’m changing generations of athletes and their futures, right? I’ve gotten so much from wrestling. I want that for all of these families that I teach, but it’s a different game, right? It’s like, almost like being a father. It’s almost It’s a thankless job, and you’re trying to establish championship pedigree into parents who know nothing about the sport.

“And so it can be very self serving for the families. It’s, give me, give me, give me. Take, take, take, take, take, right? Where at the highest level I’m like, ‘Man, I want to be on stage.’ right? I want to do something at a high level. So, you know, it’s tricky. It’s tricky.” 

Back in 2013, Burroughs was an assistant coach at his alma mater Nebraska. But it’s been mostly about his competitive career over the past decade. That might change in the near future.

“I think, yeah, that year at Nebraska kind of influenced me in a way in which, while I was simultaneously trying to manage and juggle being the best wrestler in the world, it was really difficult,” Burroughs said. “But now as I sit back and I’m like, well, I’m already coaching, I’m teaching these guys, I’m traveling with them, taking them on trips. I’m building curriculum, I’m structuring systems. I’m engaging with parents, right? I’m managing personalities. I am getting results and selling a dream of success and putting these guys in position to change their lives and establish character, all the things you would do at the highest level. 

“So that’s kind of where my thoughts have changed, and then, honestly, spending time with David (Taylor) and John (Smith) has kind of changed my perspective, too, because those are both guys that I admire and respect. So when I was sitting with them, I’m like, David, what do you think? Here’s what I got. Here’s what what I see. He’s like, bro, you’re thinking of all the hard things. It’s also a really cool experience. That’s really hard to quantify, but he’s also like, but free time it’s over.”

Burroughs mentioned his time and attention is on his academy and making sure it reaches new heights. If that’s the go-to club in America, then maybe he could be a gamechanger for a college wrestling program.