The Miami Dolphins have not won a playoff game since the 2000 season. During that stretch, they have had 12 head coaches, with only Dave Wannstedt stacking three consecutive winning seasons. However, among them, only one is considered one of the greatest to don a headset: Nick Saban. From 2005 to 2006, Saban coached Miami, going 15-17 and making zero postseason appearances before returning to college football joining the Alabama Crimson Tide under the same job title. Saban would win six national titles, two AP Coach of the Year Awards, and post a 206-29 record with Alabama.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins have gone through eight coaches since his departure, finally landing on their current head coach, Mike McDaniel, in 2022. On Friday, ahead of conference week in college football, Saban reflected on his short tenure coaching in the NFL, with Miami Dolphins fans claiming his inability to land a franchise quarterback as his demise.
Miami Dolphins Fans Speak on Nick Saban’s Time with Club
According to the Pat McAfee on Twitter:
“If you take a Head Coaching job in the NFL, you better look at the roster, the salary cap & the Quarterback situation. You have to take all those things into consideration because if you don’t, you can end up in a no-win situation.” ~ Coach Saban #PMSLive
On Friday, Nick Saban, a seven-time college football national championship-winning coach, spoke on a potential return to the NFL, claiming he will look at the quarterback situation before considering a return to the sidelines. Saban reflected on his two-year stint with the Miami Dolphins, stressing that the team had exceeded the salary cap, had an aging roster, and had no quarterback, eventually leading to his struggles. Before Saban’s first year, Miami and Saban opted not to sign former San Diego Chargers quarterback Drew Brees following a severe shoulder injury that resulted in surgery.
Brees eventually signed with the New Orleans Saints, not the Miami Dolphins, making 12 Pro Bowls, earning MVP votes four times, and leading the team to a Super Bowl victory. Meanwhile, Miami traded for three-time Pro-Bowler Daunte Culpepper, with the signal-caller making just four starts with the team. Nevertheless, Miami fans agree with Saban, believing picking Culpepper over Brees and not selecting a sliding Aaron Rodgers in the 2005 NFL Draft led to his failures:
Passed on Rodgers @ #2 and wanted Culpepper over Brees (credit @OmarKelly )
Saban wasn’t a bad coach…just made horrible QB decisions with Miami.
— Amanda B (@BeastGames2024) December 6, 2024
Daunte Culpepper over Drew Brees….
— RobEdigital (@RobEdigital) December 6, 2024
Saban knows from experience with the Dolphins. Thank you Dolphins for not clearing Drew Brees!
-All us Bama fans
— Kennybigbeard (@bladebiscuits) December 6, 2024
Umm you took Ronnie Brown instead of Aaron Rodgers and Culpepper over Brees. Gfy Nick
— Robert Floyd (@robertfloyd23) December 7, 2024
Drew Brees would not have had the same career with Saban he had with Sean Payton.
— Audante Wadley (@wadleyboy21) December 7, 2024
If Coach Saban takes a chance on Drew Brees he would probably still be in Miami and Denver would still be looking for a coach and New Orleans would be in their 15th straight losing season.
— Donnie Trump (@jboytjr) December 6, 2024
Is that the excuse for not taking Brees over Culpepper? 🤔
— Benjamin Cannon (@BenCannon18) December 6, 2024
He had first hand experience with that when he took the Fins job
— Paradise President 🏝️ (@DicePrez) December 6, 2024
Dude never takes accountability for what happened with the Dolphins lol
— DOLPHINS (@finsup1725) December 6, 2024
All he had to do was sign Brees over Culpepper.
— Kyle Baldani (@KBal2733) December 6, 2024
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