Stop us if you've heard this one before: There exists an alternate NFL universe where Drew Brees is the star quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.
As the story goes, Brees' surgically repaired right shoulder didn't check out well with Dolphins doctors, prompting the team to sign Daunte Culpepper instead.
Brees signed with the New Orleans Saints, and the rest was Super Bowl history. Culpepper was but a blip on the radar, and the Dolphins still are trying to find 21st century relevancy.
Speaking of radar blips, Nick Saban was the Dolphins' coach when they passed on Brees. Saban, whose University of Alabama team will play for the BCS national championship against Notre Dame next month in Miami, was a guest on WAXY-AM on Monday. As you might guess, a familiar topic came up.
"We thought Drew Brees was an outstanding player, and that's who we made the first offer to," Saban said, via the South Florida Sun Sentinel. "Quite frankly, you know, he didn't pass the physical with our organization, so we had to go in another direction and there was nothing any of us could do about that."
That's Saban's story, and he's sticking to it. In any event, it reminds us that old pal Dave Dameshek already explained what would've happened had the Dolphins gotten it right. Enjoy.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
