Nick Saban is one of the most accomplished football coaches in history. He’s had success everywhere he’s gone except for his two-year tenure as head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
Saban retired from Alabama after the 2023 season and six national championships with the Crimson Tide, and rumors are swirling that he could be interested in returning to the NFL.
What Kind of Team Could Tempt Nick Saban Into an NFL Return?
Saban won the national championship with LSU in 2003 and joined the Dolphins for the 2005 season. He set the bar high, going 9-7 that year, but Miami needed a quarterback heading into 2006. Saban liked Drew Brees, but team doctors failed to sign off on the former San Diego Chargers signal-caller after he suffered a serious shoulder injury.
Miami opted to trade with the Minnesota Vikings for Daunte Culpepper and finished 6-10 in 2006. Saban left for Alabama and didn’t have a losing season during his 17-year stint.
He cited the ever-changing landscape of college football as his main reason for retiring, and Saban was an analyst for ESPN’s “College GameDay” last season. Rumors of an NFL return recently popped up with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer discussing them on “The Dan Patrick Show.”
Breer gave a well-thought-out response that included Saban’s thoughts on the Dolphins’ passing on Brees.
The insider said that Saban might want to “scratch an itch” left over from his days in Miami, and knows that he’ll have to change his coaching style if he returns to the NFL.
“I think the possibility exists that maybe he looks at it and says, ‘If there is a situation where I can win quickly, where there’s a QB, I don’t feel completely satisfied with what happened in Miami 20 years ago.'”
– @AlbertBreer on the potential of an NFL return for Nick Saban pic.twitter.com/TE9ben0OTw
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) July 21, 2025
So where could Saban end up? Breer mentioned that he’d favor a situation with an established quarterback on a veteran team. Let’s dive into a few potential options.
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati is an intriguing possibility for Saban. Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins are still relatively young but have established themselves as one of the league’s most dangerous offenses. The Bengals are primed to be perennial AFC contenders with all three locked up through the 2028 season.
Saban is a defensive coach at heart, and the Bengals’ defense was the main reason they missed the playoffs last season. If things go poorly again in 2025, Zac Taylor could be out, and Saban could devise a plan to fix the defense while letting Burrow and the offense cook.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys just promoted Brian Schottenheimer to head coach, so he may get the benefit of the doubt in his first season. However, Jerry Jones loves to make headlines, and bringing Saban out of retirement would be a massive story.
Dak Prescott is well established as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback, and Saban would likely love to coach Micah Parsons on defense. The roster fits Saban’s criteria, but the sticking point could be having to work for Jones.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Saying goodbye to Todd Bowles would be shocking since he’s won the NFC South each of his three seasons as head coach. However, Bowles only has one playoff win, and his defenses seem to let the team down in its most significant moments.
Tampa Bay’s defensive front has a heavy veteran presence, led by Vita Vea and Lavonte David. Baker Mayfield has taken his game to the next level since arriving in 2023, and the offense is anchored by the ageless Mike Evans. On paper, it’s a good fit, but Bowles would have to fail in 2025.
