What NFL Team Did Nick Saban Coach?

We all know that Nick Saban is one of the most successful college football coaches of all time. But did you know that he also coached in the NFL? Here’s a look at what team he coached and how he did.

Nick Saban’s NFL Career

Nick Saban is one of the most successful college football coaches of all time. He led the Alabama Crimson Tide to six national championships, and he also had a brief stint in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. Let’s take a look at Saban’s NFL career.

Cleveland Browns

Nick Saban is an American football coach who is currently the head coach of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide. He previously served as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Michigan State Spartans, LSU Tigers, and the Miami Dolphins.

Miami Dolphins

Saban began his professional coaching career in 1974 as an assistant coach for the University of Ohio Bobcats, where he held several different positions over the course of his five seasons with the team. He then served as defensive coordinator for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers during their lone season in Division I-A in 1981. In 1983, Saban was hired as defensive coordinator for the Navy Midshipmen, where he stayed for two seasons before joining Syracuse University as a defensive assistant in 1985.

In 1990, Saban returned to the West Coast, this time joining the staff of the Houston Oilers as their defensive backs coach. He remained with the team through 1991, when they became the Tennessee Oilers and then relocated to Nashville, Tennessee. In 1992, Saban again returned to a division I-A program when he accepted a position as defensive coordinator at Michigan State University. He remained with Michigan State until 1999, when he was hired by Louisiana State University (LSU) to be their head coach.

During his five seasons as head coach of LSU (2000-2004), Saban compiled a 48-16 record and led LSU to victory in the 2003 Sugar Bowl over Oklahoma. LSU also won division championships under Saban in 2001 and 2003, and won the Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship in 2003. In 2004, Nick Saban was named “Coach of the Year” by both The Sporting News and ESPN.

In January 2007, Nick Saban left LSU to become head coach of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. He compiled a 15-17 record during his two seasons with Miami before resigning in early January 2009 to return to coaching college football at Alabama.

Saban’s return to college football

Saban coached the LSU Tigers from 2000 to 2004, compiling a record of 48–16 (.750). He led LSU to their first SEC championship game appearance in 2000 and their first SEC Championship in 2001. In 2002, the Tigers went 13–1 and captured the BCS National Championship.

Alabama Crimson Tide

In January 2007, Saban was hired as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. In his first season, he led the team to a 12–2 record and an appearance in the Sugar Bowl. The next year, Alabama finished the season undefeated with a 13–1 record and won Saban’s first national championship as a head coach with a 37–21 victory over the Texas Longhorns in the BCS National Championship Game. The win resulted in Alabama’s 17th national championship.

National Championships

Nick Saban has coached five teams to college football national championships, one at LSU in 2003 and four at Alabama from 2009 to 2012. He’s also the only coach in NCAA Division I history with a .800 winning percentage ( minimum 10 years) and has been named National Coach of the Year five times.