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The Miami Dolphins offered their coaching job Wednesday to LSU's Nick Saban, the favorite for the position since Dave Wannstedt resigned last month.
Louisiana State athletic director Skip Bertman said Saban told him of the offer late Wednesday afternoon, but did not divulge details of the deal or indicate if he planned to accept.
A Dolphins source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Saban's agent, Jimmy Sexton, and team owner Wayne Huizenga met Wednesday. The source did not know if a deal had been struck.
"They made him an offer. I don't know what it is," Bertman said. "I didn't even ask him. Now he has a decision to make, and it's a tough decision... My feeling is it's 50-50."
The offer was reported earlier by ESPN.com, which did not identify its sources.
Saban has been courted as a potential NFL coach for nearly a decade. He was approached previously by at least five teams, including a year ago by Atlanta and Chicago, but turned down every offer.
He was the first of three candidates the Dolphins have interviewed. Former Oakland Raiders coach Art Shell interviewed Monday, and interim Miami coach Jim Bates met with Huizenga on Tuesday.
Bertman said he did not expect a decision from Saban until at least Thursday. Saban has previously said he'd prefer to have the situation resolved by Christmas Day, when LSU travels to Orlando, Fla. for its bowl game against Iowa.
"He needs tonight and tomorrow at least, and maybe a day more," Bertman said Wednesday. "This is a tough decision and a big decision. He wants to make it as fast as possible, but he's got a lot to think about."
Dolphins president Eddie Jones declined to comment on reports of an offer.
"I cannot not tell you a thing about anything at this point," Jones said. "I have no comment about anything that's going on."
Sexton didn't return messages left at his office. A message left at Huizenga's home wasn't returned, and the answering machine at Saban's home in Baton Rouge, La., was full.
Bates, preparing the Dolphins for Sunday's game against Cleveland, said he was unaware of any offer.
"We have no idea. We've been in the office all day and haven't been told a thing," Bates said.
Bates is 2-3 since taking over as interim coach, including an upset victory over the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Monday. The Dolphins, mired in their first losing season since 1988, were 1-8 when Wannstedt resigned.
Saban, 53, has NFL experience as an assistant coach with the Houston Oilers in 1988-89 and with the Cleveland Browns in 1991-94. He's 48-15 in five seasons at LSU, winning Southeastern Conference championships in 2001 and 2003 and the 2003 BCS national championship.
Earlier Wednesday, Bates wouldn't discuss whether he would hope to be part of the Dolphins' staff if Saban was hired. Miami's players, however, reiterated they believe Bates deserves the chance to lead the team into the 2005 season.
"We've already made our decision. We want coach Bates as our next coach. Period," said defensive end Jay Williams. "There's no discussion about anybody else. That's all upstairs. That's on them right now."
Washington attorney Cyrus Mehri, speaking for a group that advocates more minority hirings in the league, said the Dolphins complied with NFL policy by interviewing Shell, who is black. Guidelines established in 2002 require teams to interview at least one minority candidate for coaching vacancies.
"We believe there was a serious interview with Mr. Shell, and that he's an exceptionally strong candidate," said Mehri, counsel for the Fritz Pollard Alliance. "Our overall position has been and will continue to be that teams should wait until Jan. 3 when a host of other candidates are available, white and black. The Dolphins are selling themselves short if they don't cast a wider net."
Source: AP
Louisiana State athletic director Skip Bertman said Saban told him of the offer late Wednesday afternoon, but did not divulge details of the deal or indicate if he planned to accept.
A Dolphins source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Saban's agent, Jimmy Sexton, and team owner Wayne Huizenga met Wednesday. The source did not know if a deal had been struck.
"They made him an offer. I don't know what it is," Bertman said. "I didn't even ask him. Now he has a decision to make, and it's a tough decision... My feeling is it's 50-50."
The offer was reported earlier by ESPN.com, which did not identify its sources.
Saban has been courted as a potential NFL coach for nearly a decade. He was approached previously by at least five teams, including a year ago by Atlanta and Chicago, but turned down every offer.
He was the first of three candidates the Dolphins have interviewed. Former Oakland Raiders coach Art Shell interviewed Monday, and interim Miami coach Jim Bates met with Huizenga on Tuesday.
Bertman said he did not expect a decision from Saban until at least Thursday. Saban has previously said he'd prefer to have the situation resolved by Christmas Day, when LSU travels to Orlando, Fla. for its bowl game against Iowa.
"He needs tonight and tomorrow at least, and maybe a day more," Bertman said Wednesday. "This is a tough decision and a big decision. He wants to make it as fast as possible, but he's got a lot to think about."
Dolphins president Eddie Jones declined to comment on reports of an offer.
"I cannot not tell you a thing about anything at this point," Jones said. "I have no comment about anything that's going on."
Sexton didn't return messages left at his office. A message left at Huizenga's home wasn't returned, and the answering machine at Saban's home in Baton Rouge, La., was full.
Bates, preparing the Dolphins for Sunday's game against Cleveland, said he was unaware of any offer.
"We have no idea. We've been in the office all day and haven't been told a thing," Bates said.
Bates is 2-3 since taking over as interim coach, including an upset victory over the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Monday. The Dolphins, mired in their first losing season since 1988, were 1-8 when Wannstedt resigned.
Saban, 53, has NFL experience as an assistant coach with the Houston Oilers in 1988-89 and with the Cleveland Browns in 1991-94. He's 48-15 in five seasons at LSU, winning Southeastern Conference championships in 2001 and 2003 and the 2003 BCS national championship.
Earlier Wednesday, Bates wouldn't discuss whether he would hope to be part of the Dolphins' staff if Saban was hired. Miami's players, however, reiterated they believe Bates deserves the chance to lead the team into the 2005 season.
"We've already made our decision. We want coach Bates as our next coach. Period," said defensive end Jay Williams. "There's no discussion about anybody else. That's all upstairs. That's on them right now."
Washington attorney Cyrus Mehri, speaking for a group that advocates more minority hirings in the league, said the Dolphins complied with NFL policy by interviewing Shell, who is black. Guidelines established in 2002 require teams to interview at least one minority candidate for coaching vacancies.
"We believe there was a serious interview with Mr. Shell, and that he's an exceptionally strong candidate," said Mehri, counsel for the Fritz Pollard Alliance. "Our overall position has been and will continue to be that teams should wait until Jan. 3 when a host of other candidates are available, white and black. The Dolphins are selling themselves short if they don't cast a wider net."
Source: AP