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Would Nick Saban To The Packers Really Make Sense?

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William Davis Contributor
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Would Nick Saban really entertain a return to the NFL?

It seems like Saban-to-the-NFL rumors crank up every December, and now Sports Illustrated’s Jonathan Jones has laid out the case for Saban to team up with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. (RELATED: Everybody Needs To Hear This Speech From Nick Saban About Toughness [Video])

Jones lays out the usual case for a Saban return to the NFL. He points out that Saban is already widely regarded as the greatest coach in college football history, and that he might want to correct his NFL failures before he calls it a career.

Jones lays out a compelling case for Saban to go to Green Bay:

Saban is announced as the next head coach of the Green Bay Packers, promising at least one more Super Bowl with QB Aaron Rodgers to a starving fan base while also looking to clean up the one blemish on his pristine coaching resume.

This makes sense on the surface, but when you look at the logic behind it, everything falls about. First off, there’s no reason to believe that Saban and Rodgers would be able to win a Super Bowl together. As great as Rodgers is, Green Bay simply lacks the talent for that to be a legitimate goal. Former Packers coach Mike McCarthy took a lot of the blame, but the team’s current struggles are mostly due to poor draft picks and free agent signings.

Secondly, both Rodgers and Saban are notoriously hard to work with. It’s easy to see how their prickly personalities could clash and lead to disaster. Saban’s personality was never a good fit for the NFL, and there’s nothing to believe anything has changed in that regard over the last dozen years.

And, lastly, Saban’s got it made at Alabama. He makes nearly $10 million a year, and has complete control of all football operations in Tuscaloosa. He might get the first part in Green Bay, but would certainly have to give up the second. Rodgers will always be the face of the franchise, no matter who the coach is, and its unlikely that a control freak like Saban would be able to thrive in that environment.

In conclusion, it’s highly unlikely that Saban would even consider a return to the NFL. It’s fun for certain people to think about, but it’s simply not happening. Saban will coach in Tuscaloosa for the rest of his career.

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