The buzz surrounding legendary Alabama football coach Nick Saban’s potential return to the NFL has ramped up ever since reports surfaced that he’s considering a comeback to patrolling the sidelines.
While many are fueling speculation by naming possible landing spots, one former NFL head coach says it’s not likely.
Former Dallas Cowboys Coach Pushes Back on Nick Saban Coaching Return Rumors
The NFL media has been buzzing in recent days after former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy revealed that a trusted source believes Saban is considering a return to coaching.
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
Saban retired from coaching in 2024 after 17 highly successful seasons at Alabama. With ongoing concerns about the current NIL landscape in college football, many believe that if he were to make a return, it would be at the NFL level.
Despite all the rumors, former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, who coached under Nick Saban during his time with the Miami Dolphins, believes it is unlikely that Saban will return to the NFL.
On the “Dan Patrick Show,” Garrett explained that he believes Saban left the Dolphins because he couldn’t build Miami’s roster in the NFL as easily or as quickly as he could at the college level.
“I think he realized that in the NFL you get one first-round pick per year. If you go to a place like Alabama, you can get 10.” 🤣
– @JasonGarrett on a potential #NFL return for Nick Saban. pic.twitter.com/ZCvuqKT4zt
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) July 24, 2025
“In the middle of it, I think he realized that in the NFL, you get one first-round pick per year. If you go to a place like Alabama, you can get 10,” Garrett said.
Garrett explained that winning in college football helps programs attract better recruits and more talent, which then leads to sustained success. In contrast, winning in the NFL means a lower draft position, which makes it more challenging to acquire top-level talent.
That key difference was a significant reason Saban initially left the NFL, and is the reason that Garrett believes Saban is unlikely to return to professional coaching.
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“At the college level [winning] can perpetuate itself,” Garrett said. “Where in the NFL, if you have success, it goes the other way. You pick later, you have to pay guys more, all that kind of stuff. I would bet against [Saban returning to the NFL].”
Garrett offers a grounded perspective that has been missing amid all the buzz and rumors since the initial report.
Saban left the NFL once because he preferred college football. Although he may be unhappy with the current state of college athletics, it is unlikely he would choose the NFL over college if he decides to return to coaching, which remains doubtful.