Mueller: Being Nick Saban’s GM was far from easy, but he made me (and everyone) better

I had 20 years in the NFL in my back pocket when Nick Saban called me on a late May afternoon in 2005.

I remember the day like yesterday. I listened to the message on the 10th tee at Manito Country Club in Spokane, Wash., where I was living and working for ESPN at the time. I still had a flip phone. Nick had been the head coach of the Miami Dolphins for five months and had just finished his first draft as a head coach in the NFL.

I could tell by his tone — he was looking for help.

I had been the GM of the New Orleans Saints during his time as the head coach at LSU. We had never met, but we obviously knew of each other. I had dealt with his agent, Jimmy Sexton, many times while negotiating NFL contracts. So between the commonality of our geographic paths and Jimmy, we had a connection.

I remember hearing stories about how hard Nick — who announced his retirement Wednesday after 17 years and six national championships at Alabama — was to work for. And I remember our conversation, before he offered me the job, as we circled his lake on foot at his Baton Rouge, La., home. (He had wanted me to come spend a day with him. What he really wanted was for his wife, Miss Terry, to meet me, size me up and give the OK to hire me.)