Nick Saban and Bill Belichick will go down in history as two of the greatest coaches in American football. It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when the two legends were part of the same coaching staff in the NFL.
The Cleveland Browns, valued at $5.15 billion, according to Forbes, employed both Belichick and Saban during the 1990s. Reporter Jeff Schudel recalled covering the two football icons in his piece for The News-Herald, which was updated on Jan. 13, 2024.
The Browns hired Belichick as their head coach in 1991, replacing Bud Carson, who had led them to a woeful 3-13 record in his final season with Cleveland. Belichick served as a defensive coordinator for the New York Giants before accepting the offer from the Browns. He had helped the Giants win Super Bowl XXV against the Buffalo Bills.
Belichick then hired Saban as the Browns’ defensive coordinator that same year, giving Cleveland two of the best coaching minds on their staff. Schudel shared that the two coaches had different personalities. While both of them were super serious about their jobs, Schudel described Saban as someone who “would joke around a little.”
Belichick and Saban became all-time greats after they left Cleveland. Belichick joined the New England Patriots as their head coach in 2000 and helped them win six Super Bowl titles. He is now the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Welcome to Chapel Hill, Bill Belichick!
The eight-time Super Bowl Champion has officially been named our next @UNCFootball Head Coach. #GoHeels x #ChapelBill pic.twitter.com/cnngQI7gnC
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) December 12, 2024
Saban, on the other hand, returned to the collegiate ranks and won seven national championships. He led LSU to victory in the 2003 BCS National Championship against Oklahoma before moving to Alabama. He created a dynasty with the Crimson Tide, leading them to six national championships before his retirement in 2024.
How the Cleveland Browns Fared Under Bill Belichick and Nick Saban
Bill Belichick and Nick Saban teamed up for four seasons at Cleveland, coaching the Browns from 1991 to 1994. Their first year together didn’t go according to plan, with Cleveland finishing the 1991 season with a 6-10 record. The Browns posted 7-9 records in 1992 and 1993 before they exceeded expectations in 1994 with an 11-5 slate.
Saban left Cleveland following that season and joined the Michigan State Spartans as their head coach. Belichick remained with the Browns in 1995, leading them to a 5-11 record in his final year with Cleveland.
KEEP READING: Colin Cowherd Drops Bombshell On Nick Saban’s Return To Coaching, Compares Potential Impact To Luka Doncic’s Lakers Move
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