CBS Sports: Chances are very remote Saban returns to the NFL

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Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who has been prone to wanderlust in the past, will certainly be pursued by NFL teams this offseason, but several sources close to him believe the odds of his returning to the NFL are remote.

Saban had a brief and pedestrian tenure as head coach of the Dolphins prior to returning to the college game, and, if anything, according to those who have discussed the situation with him, perhaps the chance to rebuild another NCAA program (Texas, who went hard after him a few years ago) might appeal to him on some level, while leaving for the NFL right now is even less likely. Of course, someone might be able to sway him, though any NFL team courting Saban would surely have to offer total control and a significant budget for him and his coaching staff to even trigger a conversation with his agent.

Saban was hamstrung by personnel in Miami, particularly at the quarterback position, and he would require full autonomy to build a football operations staff and structure a franchise as he sees fit to even consider a pro opportunity. With owners like the Colts' Jim Irsay among those desperate to win now and considering widespread changes to organizations, and in a year in which there are few "hot" coordinators in the NFL ranks as well as several pro and college teams already firing coaches and coordinators in-season -- ramping up competition for candidates -- Saban, 64, will be in demand.

But he has not given confidants any sense he has a burning desire to return to the NFL or feels as if he has unfinished business there. He is sustaining supreme success at Alabama, and it is much easier to control the entire environment of a program in college than it is in the pros. Saban would be incredibly picky about which owner and organization he would even consider talking to, and despite the interest in him it seems far more likely he stays at Alabama than pursues any NFL opportunities.

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