Nick Saban just dropped a bombshell, finally admitting that the New York Giants actually offered him their head coaching job way back in 1997. Imagine that, the legendary coach confirming a massive “what if” moment in NFL history during a Thursday interview with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio.
The Secret Meeting That Almost Changed Everything
This wasn’t just some casual chat, either. Saban revealed the Giants made the offer after they fired Dan Reeves, while Saban was still holding down the head coaching gig at Michigan State. He got real about why nobody knew about it then, saying it’s tough in college when you’re thinking about the NFL because you don’t want to mess up your current coaching and especially your recruiting. So, to keep it all under wraps, he and Giants G.M. George Young worked out a super sneaky plan. Young asked where they could meet without anyone knowing, and Saban’s answer was brilliant: “Just come to my house in East Lansing and nobody will ever know it.” And that’s exactly what Young did. It really shows how some college coaches have to play the game when sniffing out NFL opportunities, keeping those promises quiet until they’re ready to make a move.
A Near Miss and a Delayed Arrival
This revelation means Saban’s two-year stint as an NFL head coach, which started in 2005, could have kicked off a full eight years earlier. Think about the ripple effects if he had taken that job! It’s wild to consider how different the NFL landscape might have looked, and frankly, how different Saban’s own storied career could’ve been. While he eventually made his way to the pros, this ’97 offer was a true fork in the road, kept secret for decades. Even now, when asked directly if the Giants offered him the job in ’97, Saban’s response was a classic, “You know, I can’t really remember what we…” hinting at the elusiveness he likely maintained for so long. It makes you wonder what else is lurking in the history books that we don’t know about.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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