ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy sparked speculation across the football world when he claimed former Alabama head coach Nick Saban will return to coaching.
Fox Sports host Colin Cowherd is pushing the theory even further. According to Cowherd, the Saban rumor represents the worst-kept secret in sports right now.
Cowherd believes the Cleveland Browns plan to hire Saban and draft Arch Manning from Texas next season.
“The worst kept secret in the south is that Jimmy Haslam (Browns owner)leans heavily on the Manning family. Arch Manning is part of the family. Nick Saban is close to Haslam and the Mannings,” Cowherd said during his Wednesday show. “If Saban could land a top 10, he would take a phone call from the NFL. Two teams are guaranteed to be awful in the NFL, the Browns and Saints. Saban coached in Cleveland and at LSU. The Mannings are royalty in New Orleans, and the Mannings are royalty to Haslam, who loves headlines. This is not a conspiracy theory.”
The theory faces several challenges. Manning hasn’t announced he’s leaving Texas after next season.
More importantly, why would Manning want to play for Cleveland?
The Browns drafted Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders this year. If Sanders performs well, he could become their franchise quarterback.
Age Factor
Cowherd’s theory lacks concrete evidence that Saban wants to return to coaching. The former Alabama coach will turn 75 next year.
That’s one year closer to 80. How much coaching does someone want to do at that age?
The speculation ultimately depends on what Saban decides to do. He hasn’t given any indication about his future plans.
The Browns connection stems from Saban’s brief stint as Cleveland’s defensive coordinator in the early 1990s under Bill Belichick. His LSU tenure from 2000-2004 included a national championship.
But connecting those dots to a return doesn’t account for Saban’s age or actual interest in coaching again.
