Nick Saban drops truth bomb on not landing Drew Brees during his time as Dolphins HC

Former Miami Dolphins head coach Nick Saban said one of his biggest regrets of his coaching career is not signing Drew Brees in 2006.

Saban was in his second and final season with the Dolphins and the legendary coach needed a quarterback. Saban revealed they nearly had a deal with Brees, and he regreted not making it happen due to a physical.

Saban said on The Pivot podcast:

"The last thing before you sign a contract, you go get a physical. So I'm like, this is all done. And then they call me on the phone and say, 'We don't think he [Drew Brees] could play.'

"Dr. [James] Andrews in Birmingham did his surgery, and also did it on Culpepper... So I flew up there and talked to him, and he said, 'Drew Brees will be fine.'"

However, Saban said the Dolphins didn't want to give Brees a big contract in case he wasn't healthy. Brees ended up going to the New Orleans Saints and he had a ton of success. Nick Saban added:

"They fail him on the physical and they called me on the phone. You can't call up the owner and say, 'Hey, we're going to sign this guy and give him all this money and [that] guy might not be able to play.'

"So I didn't want to get in that briar patch with the owner, so I just said, 'Okay.' But I actually regretted it, because that year Drew Brees plays lights out for New Orleans."

In 2006, Brees threw for 4,418 yards 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He ended up leading the Saints to a Super Bowl in 2009 and was named AP Offensive Player of the Year twice in his career.

The Dolphins and Saban ended up starting three different quarterbacks in 2006 and Saban left Miami to take the job with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Nick Saban regrets taking Miami Dolphins job

Nick Saban's two-year run in the NFL didn't go well and the legendary coach said he regrets taking the job. Saban called the Dolphins job a no-win situation due to their cap and lack of draft picks.

"We were $17 million over the cap, which was a lot back in those days. This is 20 years ago. We had the oldest team in the league. They're 4-12. Got no quarterback, and I'm thinking, I'm gonna make it right," Saban said, via SI.

"Well, we had a winning season first year, but we couldn't get it turned around. But there were so many obstacles and no draft picks because they gave them all away for Ricky Williams."

He continued:

"So if you don't do your research in taking an NFL job ... is my point regardless of how pretty the city... You can end up in a no-win situation like I took the Miami Dolphins job."

Nick Saban ended up becoming the legendary coach he is today at Alabama after leaving Miami.