University of Alabama coach Nick Saban almost became the head coach of the New York Giants after last season. Actor and comedian Tom Arnold, who is friends with Giants owner Steve Tisch, told ESPN’s Paul Finebaum how it all went down last January.
Via The New York Post:
“They got his deal done with [Ben McAdoo] and they are ready to sign him, and, they get a call from [boxing promoter] Bob Arum [according to North.Jersey.com] who says Nick Saban wants the job,” Arnold said.
“So they had to stop. This is a Saturday night. They said, ‘You have until Sunday morning at 8 a.m. to say a definite yes. Tell us what he needs for money.’ ‘Well, he needs $10 million to start with and this is the deal. He has to get it approved by his wife right.’ Well, he has to get it approved by his wife right this second because we have a coach on the string here. But if he wants to do it, it has to be right this second. So he had until Sunday morning at 8 a.m. and it didn’t work out. But it was close.”
Arum confirmed what Arnold had told Finebaum, and the Hall of Fame boxing promoter revealed why Saban didn’t take the job.
Via The Record:
“They came back and said, ‘Nick is delighted. Now he’s talking to his wife.’ They went so far as to contact real estate agents in New Jersey, for homes in New Jersey. Then Nick [Khan] called back the next day and said, ‘Call Steve. Tell him Nick can’t do it. His wife loves Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She doesn’t want to move, so Nick can’t take the job.’ ”
“I think Saban is the best coach in football,” Arum said. “In college, there are two great coaches – Saban and [Jim] Harbaugh. And you saw what Harbaugh did in the pros. He was a hell of a coach with San Francisco and at Stanford. And with Saban, Alabama is like a professional team. They’re terrific. So I think Saban would’ve been absolutely great. I think McAdoo possibly could become a very, very good coach. But Saban, in my mind, is something special.”
Saban coached the Miami Dolphins for two seasons from 2005-06. He went 15-17. He left the Dolphins after the 2006 season to take the Alabama job. In nine-plus seasons there, he is 108-18 with four national championships and four SEC championships.
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