Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl has spent time in the headlines this offseason for non-basketball reasons.

It was reported by Semafor in late May that the 65-year-old coach was considering a run for Alabama’s open seat in the U.S. Senate. The opening was left by Tommy Tuberville, a former Auburn football coach, who recently entered the Alabama governor race.

AL.com has asked Pearl in person and sent multiple requests for comment about his potential interest in running for congress, but the head coach has either declined to speak or not responded.

He has addressed the rumors on radio shows and podcasts a handful of times since the Semafor report came out, but hasn’t outright confirmed or denied his interest.

Pearl was a guest on the Scott Jennings Show Wednesday afternoon and was asked again where he was in the decision-making process. Pearl’s answer was long-winded and offered some insight, but still didn’t directly confirm or deny the rumors.

He expressed his concern about the “democratic party and the direction they’re going,” but added that he “loves Auburn” and questioned how much he could achieve in congress.

“The question is, can I also have impact as a basketball coach? I’m graduating kids, I’m teaching kids, I’m ministering, I’m teaching, I’m preaching,” Pearl said. “I don’t know that I have to be a senator to be able to do that, because there’s so many things about Washington that’s so dysfunctional that I don’t even know if I could make a difference there.”

Auburn athletic director John Cohen told AL.com at SEC Media Days that he expects Pearl to be Auburn’s head coach in 2025, but acknowledged that “things can change.”

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkusor email him at [email protected]m