Nick Saban: Leaving LSU for Miami Dolphins Was ‘Biggest Mistake’ of Career
Nick Saban, widely regarded as one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, has reflected on his career and revealed that leaving LSU to coach the Miami Dolphins was his “biggest mistake.” Saban, who won six national championships with Alabama and one with LSU, left coaching on his own terms last year after an incredibly successful era with the Crimson Tide.
In a recent interview, Saban admitted that he wishes he could have that decision back, saying, “I think sometimes you have to learn about yourself. And you might think things… When I left LSU, that was probably ‘professionally’ the biggest mistake that I ever made.”
Saban went on to say that he enjoyed coaching in Miami, but ultimately found that he preferred coaching college football because he could develop players more personally, academically, and athletically. He also revealed that his agent, Jimmy Sexton, posed the question, “Do you want to be Bear Bryant or Vince Lombardi in terms of his legacy?” Saban responded that he wanted to be more like Bryant, but chose to leave LSU for the NFL anyway.
Saban’s stint in the NFL was a brief one, lasting just two seasons. He will likely be remembered most for his remarkable run at Alabama, but his time in the NFL may be the only blemish on his otherwise impressive resume.