For college football fans, Nick Saban and his contribution to Alabama and those 6 national championships are what define Nick Saban’s legacy. And in many ways, it surely does. But well before Nick Saban strode into the corridors of the University of Alabama and brought his “process,” the man was busy planning his ironclad defense in the NFL. Moreover, Nick Saban not just perfected his craft there but also left a lasting legacy, the same legacy that is now speculated to force Saban back from retirement.

Here’s a quick tip for the folks less versed with Saban’s contributions in the NFL. Just put on that 1994 Wild Card Playoff tape where the Cleveland Browns defeated the New England Patriots. It was a testament to Saban’s defensive schemes well before college football adored him. It was truly a complete defensive showing as Nick Saban, being the Browns’ DC, held the Patriots to just 13 points. Saban’s feats then became critical for the team, as Browns’ head coach Belichick at the time acknowledged just how good Saban was.

“Nick was really my No. 1 partner there, and I relied on him so heavily on every level. Yeah, I was the head coach at Cleveland, but whatever success we had, we wouldn’t have achieved without him,” said Belichick about Saban’s contribution. Now, after more than 30 years since that wildcard playoff game, Saban is again touted to make a return to the Browns. And it has to do with Arch Manning and the connection that Saban has with the Manning family.

Colin Cowherd recently came out with a video that talked about how Saban could make a comeback for the Browns due to his connection with both Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and the Manning family. “This is the worst-kept secret in the South. Haslam Jimmy, owner of the Browns, leans heavily on the Manning family, very close to the Manning family,” said Cowherd, and told how Saban could land in Cleveland.

“Saban is incredibly close to not only Jimmy Haslam, but Saban’s close to the Manning family as well. And so Saban, if he could land, I’m told a top quarterback like Harbaugh going to the Chargers for Justin  Herbert, he would take a phone call from the NFL, and there are two teams guaranteed to be awful this year in the NFL, Cleveland and the Saints,” concluded Cowherd. Moreover, the take that Cowherd is echoing isn’t make-believe, since Jimmy Haslam reportedly has expressed interest in drafting Arch Manning despite having a deep QB room.

Tony Rizzo of ESPN, in his recent podcast episode, talked about how Cleveland Browns’ owner Jimmy Haslam is leaning too heavily toward getting Arch Manning on their team in 2026. According to Rizzo, even though Haslam won’t admit the fact, he said that Haslam’s “thirst for Arch Manning is unmatched.” Moreover, Rizzo even went on to say that Arch Manning would be in Cleveland next and “they would do anything to get him.” So, in this intricate web of speculations and fans’ desire to see Saban back in the NFL, where does Saban stand in all of this?

Will Nick Saban be forced to make a return due to his wife, Miss Terry?

Saban had served under Bill Belichick as Browns’ DC from 1991 to 1994 and still carries those ties dearly with him. Moreover, Haslam being a prominent donor for Tennessee and Manning’s deep ties with the program also add fuel to the fiery speculation. Then there is Jimmy Sexton’s influence, too, who is the agent of Nick Saban and also represents Peyton Manning, Arch’s uncle. All of this undoubtedly leads to a cocktail of ‘different scenarios playing out behind curtains. However, as far as Saban is concerned? He has made his stance clear.

In a recent interview with Fox News, Saban was asked if he had any plans to come back into the coaching world. The former Bama head coach quickly said, “No, I’m really happy with what I’m doing right now.” But after that statement, Saban also jokingly weighed how he had thought of making a comeback due to his wife, Miss Terry.

“I never really had a thought about getting back into coaching until two days ago. Miss Terry said I had to run the sweeper in the entire downstairs. The thought occurred to me, when you were a coach, you had a heck of a lot better job than this. So that’s the only time I considered it,” said Nick Saban. Now, does that mean those household chores can finally force Saban to make a comeback?

Probably not, at least for now! Since the speculations have been in the media for quite some time now, with even Greg McElroy recently speculating about Saban’s return. However, responding to the speculations, Saban’s daughter Kristen put a story on her IG account and wrote, “He’s not coming back to coaching, hate to break it to you. You had your time.” Conclusion? For the time being, it seems Saban will be content with featuring on ESPN GameDays. But for the people who adore Saban (and who doesn’t?), Saban’s comeback will always be a fascinating idea to explore.