NICK Saban hasn’t thrown away the notion that he could return to the college football coaching world.
The Alabama Crimson Tide legend has been a star analyst on ESPN since his retirement last year.
There has been continuing speculation that Saban could coach again.
Recently, one of Saban’s former coaches, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, thinks the 73-year-old icon will make a comeback.
Saban had a chance to shut down the rumors during a Friday appearance on Fox News, but he didn’t.
The seven-time national champion coach began with a joke.
“I’ve never really had a thought about getting back into coaching until two days ago,” Saban said.
“Miss Terry said I had to run the sweeper in the entire downstairs.
“While I was running the sweeper, the thought occurred to me, ‘When you were a coach, you had a heck of a lot better job than this.’
“So that’s the only time I considered it.”
Saban shared he’s not interested in returning to coaching because there isn’t an opportunity that’s intriguing to him.
“There is no opportunity that I know of right now that would enhance me to go back to coaching,” he said.
Saban didn’t rule out coaching in the future.
His admission comes just a few days after Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd tipped Saban’s return to the Cleveland Browns and be joined by potential 2026 No. 1 overall pick Arch Manning.
“This is the worst kept secret in the South,” Cowherd said.
“Jimmy Haslam – owner of the Browns – huge SEC, Tennessee booster.
Saban is considered one of the greatest college football coaches of all-time as he helped Alabama win six national championships and 201 games[/caption]
“He leans heavily on the Manning family, he’s very close to the Manning family.
“Saban is incredibly close not only to Jimmy Haslam, but also to the Manning family as well.
“So Saban, if he could land, I’m told, a top quarterback he would take a phone call from the NFL.”
Still, it’s unlikely that Saban would return to the NFL after a disastrous two seasons as the Miami Dolphins head coach in the 2000s.
EA College Football 26’s top 25 teams
- Alabama – 89 OVR
- Texas – 88
- Ohio State – 88
- Penn State – 88
- Notre Dame – 88
- Georgia – 88
- Clemson – 88
- Texas A&M – 88
- Oregon – 86
- LSU – 86
- Miami – 86
- Florida – 86
- Texas Tech – 86
- Arizona State – 85
- Michigan – 85
- Ole Miss – 85
- Oklahoma – 85
- Indiana – 85
- SMU – 84
- Tennessee – 84
- Missouri – 84
- Auburn – 84
- Duke – 84
Saban will have his eyes set on his duties on ESPN’s college football pregame show College Gameday, which is set to begin late next month.
