Former Alabama head coach and current ESPN personality Nick Saban has been the subject of speculation in the sports media world in recent days, with rumors circulating about a potential return to coaching. However, according to Urban Meyer, who has held Saban’s position before, the former coach would likely only consider a return to the sidelines under the right circumstances.
Many personalities with close relationships to Saban, including his former quarterback-turned-ESPN college football broadcaster Greg McElroy, as well as his former assistant coach Lane Kiffin, have recently shared their opinion that Saban will one day return to coaching.
FS1’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd featured NFL insider Albert Breer on Wednesday’s edition of the show to discuss the topic of Saban potentially returning to coaching at the NFL level, specifically with the Dallas Cowboys.
“He could come in there and go into a place that’s set up for a strong coach.”@colincowherd and @AlbertBreer discuss the possibility of Nick Saban returning to coaching… for the Dallas Cowboys pic.twitter.com/so0JaInCji
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 16, 2025
While a return to coaching with the Cowboys may be a bit bold of a prediction, considering recently-hired Brian Schottenheimer has yet to coach a single game for the organization, Meyer doesn’t think that a return is out of the question for Saban.
Meyer joined Cowherd on Thursday’s edition of The Herd to discuss his thoughts on the possibility of Saban returning to the sidelines. The Fox Sports CFB analyst made it clear that he thinks the only way Saban coaches again is in the NFL.
“You know, I have not talked to him about this,” said Meyer. “I would guess, because I know him fairly well and competed against him, that it’s not a little scratch. It’s probably a pretty big scratch. That’s the one area that he has not… You know, like you said, he was getting things going at Miami. I actually visited him while he was down there.
“I don’t think he would go back to college. I don’t see that fit. The whole idea that ‘Where the heck is Alabama? Why are they not in the top 10 in spending? I don’t understand that one. And coach (Kalen) DeBoer, I’d be asking some hard questions, say ‘What’s the problem here? We can’t compete, we can’t pay our players.’ So I agree with you. I would say very little to no chance he would get involved in college, but I think he would take phone calls from the NFL.”
“Very little to no chance he would get involved in college. But I think he would take phone calls from the NFL.”@colincowherd and @CoachUrbanMeyer discuss the possibility of Nick Saban returning to the NFL pic.twitter.com/GjLOs0I1mY
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 17, 2025
Ironically, the case study for why Saban perhaps shouldn’t return to coaching at the NFL level might be Urban Meyer, who was essentially laughed out of Jacksonville after less than a full NFL season in 2021 when the Jacksonville Jaguars fell to a 2-11 record amid a myriad of controversies.
At this point, nothing has been heard from Saban regarding whether he is truly considering returning to coaching anytime soon. But given the fact that he has thrived as a media personality at ESPN, it would have to be a pretty great offer to lure him away.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.