Nick Saban had a legendary coaching career, but that doesn't mean it came without regrets.

During an episode of The Pivot with Ryan Clark, Saban revealed that his biggest regret during his coaching career was leaving LSU to coach the Miami Dolphins in December of 2004. At that point, Saban had spent five seasons at LSU and the Tigers had gone 48–16 on his watch while winning two SEC titles and a national championship during the 2003 season. They went 9–3 in 2004 before Saban tried his hand in the NFL.

Clark told Saban it would seem he made all the right decisions in his career, then asked if there was anything he wished he had done differently. Saban had an answer ready to go.

"When I left LSU, that was probably professionally the biggest mistake that I ever made," Saban said. "Not because we didn't have success in Miami, because I enjoyed coaching in Miami. But I found out in that experience that I like coaching in college better because you could develop players — personally, academically, athletically and all that — a little more than in pro ball."

Saban said he loved the status of coaching in the NFL and getting to work with the best players against the best coaches, but missed the college game. He then told a story about his agent Jimmy Sexton asking him a very pointed question.

"So then, I can't go back to LSU. Go to Alabama, and no disrespect to Alabama, it's not Alabama versus LSU," Saban said. "Jimmy Sexton stood on the balcony when I was getting ready to leave LSU... and he said, 'What do your legacy to be as a coach? Do you want to be Vince Lombardi or do you want to be Bear Bryant?' And without hesitation, I said Bear Bryant. And he said, 'What are you doing going to Miami then?'"

Saban went to Miami anyway.

In two seasons with the Dolphins, Saban went 15–17, including a 6–10 record in his final season. On January 3, 2007 he accepted the Alabama job and the rest is history. In 17 seasons he went 201–29 in Tuscaloosa, winning nine SEC titles and six national championships.

It's clear Saban belonged in college football and he now acknowledges he never should have left.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Nick Saban Explains Why He Believes Leaving LSU Was the Biggest Mistake of His Career.