Nick Saban explains why he didn't succeed with the Dolphins

Detroit News Wire
| Detroit News

Miami – Nick Saban doesn’t have the best memories of his years as coach of the Miami Dolphins.

The legendary coach recently reflected on his two-season stint with the Dolphins during Friday’s episode of “The Pat McAfee Show.” Saban seemed to use his tenure in Miami as a warning to coaches looking for the next big thing, essentially advising his peers to do proper research. Apparently he didn’t follow his own advice.

“I just had a bad case of being an idiot, that’s all,” Saban told McAfee.

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Even though Saban really loved being in South Florida, the franchise itself wasn’t best positioned for success. He further explained that the Dolphins lacked the tools necessary to succeed – a great team, an outstanding quarterback, draft room, etc. – when he accepted the position in 2005.

“I took the job with the Miami Dolphins, we were $17 million over the cap, which was a lot at the time – that was 20 years ago,” Saban recalled. “We had the oldest team in the league. They are 4-12 years old. I don’t have a quarterback. And I say to myself, “I’m going to make things right.” Well, we had a winning season, but we couldn’t turn things around.

Saban went 15-17 in two years with the Dolphins. Despite going 9-7 in 2005, the Dolphins went a dismal 6-10 the following year.

“There were so many obstacles,” Saban continued. “And no draft picks because they gave them all away for Ricky Williams.”

Saban added: “Do your research to take a job in the NFL, no matter how beautiful the city is. »

But this is where context becomes important. The Dolphins had the second pick in the 2005 NFL Draft and selected running back Ronnie Brown. Want to know who was also available? Arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Aaron Rodgers.

Saban made a similar mistake the following year when he signed Daunte Culpepper over Drew Brees in free agency. Brees eventually joined the New Orleans Saints, with whom he won Super Bowl XLIV.

“We thought Drew Brees was an outstanding player, and we made the first offer to him,” Saban told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Frankly, you know, he didn’t pass the medical with our organization, so we had to go another direction and there was nothing any of us could do about it.”

Saban left Miami after the 2006 season, choosing to coach the University of Alabama, where he built the Tide program into a national powerhouse. His post-Dolphins resume speaks for itself: six national championships, nine SEC championships, two Walter Camp Coach of the Year awards and countless NFL draft picks.

ESPN’s Moss takes extended leave

Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss is taking an extended leave of absence from his role as an analyst on “NFL Sunday Countdown” as he deals with “a personal health issue,” ESPN said in a statement Friday.

In a video recorded and posted to Instagram before his appearance on last Sunday’s episode, Moss told fans he was “struggling with something internal” and indicated he might have to wear sunglasses at night. antenna because of this.

The tone of the video was upbeat and light-hearted, but Moss’ message was serious.

“I just ask all prayer warriors to lay their blessing hands on me and my family during these difficult times,” Moss said. “…Like I said, y’all, I’m fighting something, man, and it’s something internal. Your boy will be fine. I have an excellent team of doctors and a great family around me. So y’all, get your exams done, get your blood work done and we’ll work on it, okay?

He added in a second video: “There are going to be people who are worried and asking questions. For now I’m just going to keep a lot of things private and you all will bear with me. But like I said, I need your prayers.

NFL ends Watson investigation

The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is ending the season on injured reserve for the second straight year.

The league has been reviewing the case for months, trying to determine whether Watson should be punished.

“The matter is closed,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Friday in an email to The Associated Press. “There was insufficient evidence to support the finding of a violation of the Personal Conduct Policy.”

Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault in Texas by a woman in September. She sought more than $1 million in damages before the parties reached a confidential settlement.

Watson has strongly denied the allegations through his attorney, Rusty Hardin. Watson, 29, suffered a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon in October. He is nursing his injury in hopes of returning next season.

The Browns still owe Watson $46 million for each of the next two seasons after trading three first-round picks to Houston and signing him to a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract that backfired.