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New York Giants twice passed on Nick Saban as head coach

Nick Saban was in play for the Giants’ head coaching job in 1997, but the Giants wound up hiring a promising offensive coordinator instead. Did the same thing happen again in January?

Comedian Tom Arnold told ESPN’s Paul Finebaum on Friday that Saban, the longtime Alabama head coach, sent word to the Giants through intermediaries that he may have interest in the head coaching job once the team parted ways with Tom Coughlin. The Giants wound up hiring offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo.

Nineteen years ago, with Saban coaching at Michigan State and reported to be a favorite of general manager George Young and assistant general manager Ernie Accorsi, who knew Saban as a Browns’ assistant coach, the Giants hired Jim Fassel.