Mandatory Credit: Photo By Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images
The ultimate butter fly effect in college football history is what would have happened at Alabama if Nick Saban was able to convince the Miami Dolphins to sign Drew Brees.
Saban has been adamant over the years that he made an effort to bring in the then former San Diego Chargers quarterback who was coming off a major shoulder injury.
Not having control over who receives an offer to join a team was one reason that ultimately pushed Saban to return to the college ranks.
But what was Drew Brees’ side of the story?
Well, Brees was able to detail the full story from nearly two decades ago during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show.
“I’m coming off of the major shoulder injury, not sure if I’m ever going to play football again, but hopeful,” Brees said. “And it’s the New Orleans Saints and the Miami Dolphins. On paper, this was the easiest decision in the world. It’s the Miami Dolphins all the way. Nick Saban is the head coach, has done an outstanding job on that defense, one of the best defenses in the league — Zach Thomas, Jason Taylor. Like, they had finished that last season, the previous season, winning seven in a row. Really the only question mark for their team was quarterback.
“They had skill-position guys. Jason Garrett was the quarterback coach. Mike Mularkey was the OC. They were running the same offensive system that I was coming from in San Diego. On my recruiting trip there, we’re eating dinner on Wayne Huizenga’s yacht. And he’s sitting there talking about how every summer we’re going to go to Scotland and play golf ‘me, you and Dan.’ I’m like, ‘Dan?’ They’re like, ‘Yeah, Dan Marino.’ I’m like, oh, so Dan is like my mentor now? You know what I mean? Like, this is the greatest thing ever, you know? State of Florida, no state income tax. I’m like, I mean, this is a no-brainer, right?”
While Brees was visiting the Dolphins, he was put through an intensive health exam by the staff who were evaluating if he would even be able to play football again. And that’s where things went south for Brees and the franchise.
“But also on that trip, they put me through, like, this rigorous health inspection basically, like, six hours of testing – contrast, MRI tube, you know, where I’m in the MRI, literally, for two hours,” Brees said. “And they’re trying to assess just the damage that was done to my shoulder and the chances of me being able to come back and be the same. I remember sticking these big needles in my arm to test my nerve endings. I mean, it was nuts.
“And at the end of the day, Nick Saban looked me in the eye and said, ‘You know, our doctors think you have a 25 percent chance of ever coming back and playing again.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, OK, I know what they say, but what do you think?’ He’s like, ‘I got to believe what the doctors are telling me. But we still want you, but it’s just letting you know kind of what’s been said.’
“And so I just really didn’t get the feeling that they had a ton of faith or confidence in my ability to come back. So despite how good that visit was and how much respect I had for them and the organization and everything, you know, the Saints was a totally different story from the perspective of, look, I mean, we know that city was destroyed, but Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis had just this unwavering belief in me to be their guy and to be a leader of that organization. It was going to be this collaboration, and I was going to have so much input. They were building this thing around me. And it was just that moment where I felt like I had a chance to be a part of something so much greater than football. I felt like it was God’s calling in my life to be there.”
Brees and Saban heading their separate ways ended up being the correct choice for both individuals. Saban would go on to win six national titles and be regarded as the greatest college football coach of all-time, and Brees would win a Super Bowl with the Saints and a first ballot hall of famer in the class of 2026.
Not too bad at all.
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
