The rumor of Nick Saban’s potential return to coaching has set the sports world abuzz, with many speculating where the legendary former Alabama head coach might land if he were to make a comeback. Many believe that if Saban returns, it would be to the NFL, and one analyst is now suggesting he could team up with one of the league’s top quarterbacks.
Analyst Links Nick Saban to Potential NFL Return with AFC Superstar QB
Nick Saban is widely regarded as one of the greatest football coaches ever. He began his coaching career in 1973 as a graduate assistant at Kent State and served as head coach at Toledo, Michigan State, LSU, the Miami Dolphins, and Alabama.
Saban won seven national championships at the college level, six of which came at Alabama, cementing his legacy before he retired at the end of the 2023 season.
Rumors of a potential return to coaching were sparked by former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, who said a trusted source believes Saban is considering a comeback.
If Saban does return, his well-known frustration with the current NIL landscape in college football has led many to believe it would be at the NFL level. One of those speculating is Nick Wright, who believes Saban could team up with Joe Burrow for the 2026-2027 season.
REPORT: Greg McElroy said a person ‘in the know’ believes Nick Saban will return to coaching👀
“If it wasn’t someone notable, I would never say a word.”
(via @macandcube)https://t.co/bWMfklaAqJ pic.twitter.com/A4JiDqS9mN
— On3 (@On3sports) July 14, 2025
On FS1’s “The Herd With Colin Cowherd,” Wright explained that Cincinnati could potentially hire Saban if the team has another bad season under Zac Taylor.
“If this coming year goes the way I think it might for Cincinnati, I think Nick Saban’s an interesting idea there.”@colincowherd and @getnickwright discuss Nick Saban potentially returning to the NFL pic.twitter.com/p9gQM7GSQt
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 22, 2025
“If this coming year goes the way I think it might for Cincinnati, I think Nick Saban’s an interesting idea there,” Wright said. “It’s a team that’s like listen, got to coach up the defense, got to have someone to actually have as big of a voice in the organization as the owner.”
It’s an interesting idea, and watching Saban coach Burrow would certainly be entertaining for football fans, but it remains unlikely. While speculation about Saban returning to coaching continues to grow, the former Alabama coach appears content in retirement, and his daughter, Kristen, recently shut down any ideas of a comeback.
While the Bengals struggled during the 2024–2025 season, their offense remained elite, making a coaching change unlikely unless things take a severe downturn this year. Never say never, and Wright’s idea is certainly intriguing, but all the stars would have to align for it to become a reality.
