NEW ORLEANS -- Alabama coach Nick Saban has been linked to the newly open New York Jets coaching job only by a New York Post columnist who tossed the idea out in print almost like an open letter to Jets owner Woody Johnson. Yet the Crimson Tide's eighth-year coach was compelled to reiterate what he's been saying, and meaning, for years: The college game is where he wants to finish his career.
"Let's start with the fact that I'm not really interested in any situation in the NFL," Saban said. "(Former Jets coach) Rex Ryan is a great friend of mine, who I have a tremendous amount of respect for. We're hopeful that he gets an opportunity that's helpful to him, in terms of what he wants to do."
Since Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa, Ala., in 2007, he's been rumored as a coaching candidate for NFL and college jobs alike -- from the Cleveland Browns to the Texas Longhorns. His denials of interest rang a bit hollow in his early years at Alabama, having left the Miami Dolphins after just two years to solidify his reputation as a coach who isn't afraid to make a career move. But he's now been at Alabama three years longer than he's ever worked at any head coaching stop.
And seems more entrenched at Alabama with each additional year he stays.
"As I've talked about before, I think sometimes you've got to pick what you want your legacy to be. Where do you get the most positive self-gratification from, what you want to be and where you think you have the best impact on people," Saban added. "We're extremely happy with being a college coach and what we've been able to do as a college coach and the challenges we have in trying to continue to do it."
Saban's phone might never stop ringing with job offers.
But at age 63, he's never been less likely to start over.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.