So the guy who insisted he wasn’t going to be the Alabama coach would have remained the Miami coach if Drew Brees had become a Dolphin instead of a Saint. Regardless of whether anyone believes that the restless, happy-only-when-he’s-miserable coach would be embarking on his 11th season as Miami’s coach (I don’t), the more important point is lurking between the lines.
His comments prove that Saban left the NFL because he didn’t have a franchise quarterback. Common sense suggests that, if a team with a franchise quarterback were to pursue Saban, he’d potentially return.
The Colts continue to make the most sense. Owner Jim Irsay wanted to hire him in 1998, but G.M. Bill Polian didn’t want to give Saban the power he wanted. The Colts have a franchise quarterback on the front end of the prime of his career. The Colts have a head coach entering the final year of his contract, and the head coach is believed to be on the hot seat.
Really, what other team with a franchise quarterback will have a vacancy after this season? Teams with franchise quarterbacks rarely have vacancies because coaches of teams with franchise quarterbacks rarely get fired.
Pagano could, especially if Irsay could finally get Saban. And Saban has now made it clear that any team with a quarterback as good or better than Drew Brees has a chance to get Saban.
