WhoDat!656

In December 2006, then-Dolphins coach Nick Saban was spending plenty of time trying to convince plenty of folks that he wouldn’t be the next coach at Alabama.

Six years later, as he prepares to pursue yet another NCAA championship as the Alabama coach, it’s inevitable that he’ll be linked to jobs at the next level — especially with so many jobs possibly becoming available after the 2012 season ends.

Earlier this year, Saban’s name surfaced (primarily via speculation) as a potential candidate to coach the Browns. Over the weekend, Greg Bedard of the Boston Globe provided a slightly meatier nugget.

Bedard writes that Saban has “let it be known” that, if he returns to the NFL, he’d want to work with former Browns-turned-Ravens colleague Mike Lombardi, whose name has surfaced as a potential candidate to succeed Tom Heckert as G.M. of the Browns franchise that returned to the NFL in 1999.

There’s no indication that Saban, who is now in his 60s even if he doesn’t look it, would try to return to the NFL. But with a growing war chest of crystal footballs and a two-year run of mediocrity in Miami that surely gnaws at him like a Little Debbie oatmeal creme pie, Saban could decide that he wants to swing the bat one more time in the big leagues.

That said, he wasn’t happy as an NFL head coach, poking around for possibilities back in the college ranks after only one year of running the Dolphins. We’d heard in October of 2006 that Saban wanted to go back to the college game, and the rumors persisted until they culminated in the one rumor he consistently denied.

“I’m not going to be the Alabama coach,” he eventually insisted.

And then, out of the blue, he was.

His return to the NFL, if and when he chooses to do it, could come out of the blue in similar fashion. And it could, in theory, put him back in orange and brown.

If nothing else, the possibility of landing Saban would force the folks in the Cleveland media who are grumbling about the possible return of Lombardi reconsider their position.

Saban slides onto the NFL coaching radar, again | ProFootballTalk

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

Ashley

I would love it, and laugh my ass off if he did. It has been well documented that he is an huge A H. Not taken anything away from his ability.

SloMotion

... his ability at the college level, I may add. The pros aren't his thing.

Danno

Yet a sweetheart compared to Les Miles.

Mardigras9

Hard to imagine this happening again with him.

Danno

I don't really. While I'd be surprised if he jumped to the NFL again, It wouldn't shock me.

I doubt he tries the NFL again because I think his stint in Miami showed him how much he likes dealing and developing College kids instead of tolerating the Diva's and their slimy agents in the NFL.

I think he prefers college, and trust me, he'll get paid more at Alabama than in Cleveland, and he'll get a lot more press as the top college coach in the world.

Basically I think he enjoys College coaching more than NFL coaching. I would too.

papz

I don't know about the money thing. If Cleveland threw 8 million Saban's way, it's very unlikely Saban would turn it down nor would Bama seriously consider matching it. Even 7 million would be hard pressed to match.

Danno

I saw some numbers a year or two ago and the football program made 32million.

I think they'd jump all over 7 or 8 million.

But I doubt an NFL team is gonna throw 8 million at a coach who failed pretty badly at Miami and has a reputation of not being able to "convince" NFL primadonnas that its his way or the highway.

I think its pure speculation that will happen every year. The most successful coach in the college ranks will always be rumored for an NFL job.

Does anyone you know think Saban will ever have the same success in the NFL that he enjoys at the college level?

He's one of the best recruiters in College football history which is arguably 80% of his success. You don't recruit in the NFL.

SmashMouth

I hope he stays at Bama... but we've all heard this song before. He was against it and concealing it before he was for it, etc ... Perhaps he yearns for another crack at the NFL for a different challenge. He has not conquered that mountain yet! Pete Carroll failed miserably his first time in the NFL too. Yet he eventually returned, now as the Seahacks Head Coach.

stickman

I would't be surprised if he took another shot at the NFL. Coaches like Saban are ego-maniacs, and the fact that he couldn't get it done in the NFL probably hurts his pride. Especially with Carroll now having some success.

That said, I think he is best off where he is now.