Nick Saban, Arch Manning Linked to Struggling NFL Franchise

Nick Saban, Arch Manning Linked to Struggling NFL Franchise originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Forget about Shedeur Sanders, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Deshaun Watson. Kevin Stefanski? See you later. Fox Sports radio personality Colin Cowherd believes Nick Saban and Arch Manning will be headlining for the Cleveland Browns next season.

Saban is a season removed from strolling the sidelines for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Manning takes the reins for Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns’ offense this upcoming go-round. Cowherd predicted Browns owner Jimmy Haslam will make his latest splash by going all-in for the two of them.

“This is worst-kept secret in the South,” Cowherd said on his radio show earlier this week. “(Jimmy) Haslam … owner of the Browns, huge SEC, Tennessee booster, leans heavily on the Manning family. Very close to the Manning family.”

Manning, the next in the famous quarterback family’s lineage, could choose to enter the NFL Draft next year. Connecting dots from Saban to the Manning family, too, the prominent radio host said he was told if Saban could land a top passer, he’d listen to an NFL head coaching offer.

Cowherd listed the Browns and New Orleans Saints as the two teams that are “guaranteed to be awful this year in the NFL.” Saban has ties to both areas, having coached the Browns as an assistant under Bill Belichick and leading LSU from 2000-04.

“This is not a conspiracy theory,” Cowherd said. “The Mannings are royalty in New Orleans. … And the Mannings are royalty to Jimmy Haslam. Jimmy Haslam also loves headlines. That’s why he pushed to draft Johnny Manziel and Baker Mayfield.”

Related: Insider Suggests Nick Saban Should Take Over For Ohio State

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.