14 years ago today, Saban left LSU for the Dolphins

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The year was 2004 and the Miami Dolphins needed a new coach. Firmly on their radar was LSU coach Nick Saban, who had just coached the Tigers to the BCS National Championship the season before—the Tigers’ first title since the 1950s. LSU fans were told they had nothing to worry about.

While preparing for the team’s bowl game with Iowa, Saban was approached by reporters while walking from his office to his car. He told the reporter that he was not leaving LSU, then spouted a “Geaux Tigers,” before driving off into the sunset. But the smoke then ignited into a fire which changed LSU’s football history forever.

Multiple national media reports on the week of Christmas in 2004 said that Saban had interviewed for the Dolphins’ position and there was interest from both sides. The speculation grew even further when it was reported that the Dolphins off ered Saban their job and the ball was in his court regarding whether he wanted to stay at LSU or make the jump to the NFL.

Gossip regarding the situation went wild. The already-hot message boards went into a full-on blaze of information, misinformation and theories about what would come next.

But then finality came when we all least expected it. Somewhere after opening up presents on Christmas morning, but long before all the relatives had eaten dinner at the family’s table, news broke from Baton Rouge, stating that Saban had accepted the Dolphins’ offer, thus leaving the school without its best coach in many, many years. Saban made the announcement official 24 hours later, then coached LSU’s bowl game on New Year’s Day against Iowa.

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