“That was hard”: When Bill Belichick couldn’t stop himself from revealing a tough stint against Nick Saban 

When Nick Saban took the Miami Dolphins' coaching job in 2005, he found himself in the same division as Bill Belichick. The two had been close friends since 1982, and the development made long-term friends and colleagues divisional rivals in the NFL.

However, Saban's stint in the NFL didn’t last long. After two seasons with the Dolphins, he was hired by Alabama, marking a return to college football. This was a huge relief for Belichick, who had tough times competing with his friend.

Speaking at a press conference in 2013, Bill Belichick described how difficult it was to play against Saban in the AFC East. The two met four times in the NFL across two seasons, with each coach winning two games.

“I've had a close relationship with Nick professionally and personally through the years, even before when he was at Ohio State, when he was at Navy, when he was at Michigan State and obviously the four years in Cleveland,” Belichick said (timestamp 0:17).

“Then Michigan State again and LSU, and then Miami. That was hard for both of us because we had a great personal relationship. But we're trying to win, trying to beat each other.”

Bill Belichick says it's much better to have Nick Saban in college football

It was fierce competition between Bill Belichick and Saban in the NFL. Both were famously detail-oriented, and their relentless focus and high expectations defined their coaching styles and shaped their teams’ identities.

Belichick made it clear that it’s much better to have Saban at Alabama rather than with the Miami Dolphins. He expressed how gratifying it is to see Saban succeed rather than having to compete against him, especially in the same division.

“I love that he's at Alabama and he's not in our division,” Belichick said on Saban's exit from the NFL to return to college football (timestamp 0:46). “He's not shutting us out like he did the last time we played him down there in Miami. But it's so much better that way on a personal level.”

After Bill Belichick and Nick Saban’s careers followed parallel paths, both ascended to the pinnacle of their respective levels of football. Together, they dominated the sport, amassing an impressive 13 championships as coaches across the professional and college ranks.

One of their career highlights was their collaboration for four seasons with the Cleveland Browns. They transformed the Browns into a defensive powerhouse. In 1994, their efforts culminated in the team allowing the fewest points in the league, solidifying their reputations as defensive masterminds.