Nick Saban makes interesting statement on decision that could’ve prevented legendary Alabama football career

Nick Saban made a stunning admission on Tuesday’s edition of “The Pivot” podcast: leaving LSU for the NFL, specifically the Miami Dolphins, was the biggest mistake he ever made in his football coaching career.

Saban took the Dolphins job in December 2004 after a 9-3 season in Baton Rouge.

“When I left LSU that was probably professionally the biggest mistake that I ever made,” Saban said.

“I found out in that experience that I like coaching in college better because you could help players personally, academically, athletically and all of that a little more than in pro ball.”

Saban later revealed a conversation he had with his agent, Jimmy Sexton, that led him to understand going back to LSU wasn’t on the table after his pro coaching career sputtered in 2005 and 2006 with a 15-17 NFL record.

“I can’t go back to LSU. Go to Alabama, and, no disrespect to Alabama, it’s not Alabama vs. LSU,” Saban said. “It’s just (agent) Jimmy Sexton stood on the balcony when I was getting ready to leave LSU. ... He said, ‘What do you want your legacy to be as a coach? Do you want to be Vince Lombardi, or do you want to be Bear Bryant?’

“Without hesitation, I said, ‘Bear Bryant.’

“He said, ‘What are you doing going to Miami then?’”

Luckily for Alabama fans, Saban came to his senses and had one of the best coaching careers with the Crimson Tide anyone’s ever had at any level. Saban went 206-29 in Tuscaloosa and 292-71-1 overall as a collegiate head coach.