Former Michigan State and NFL receiver Plaxico Burress thought it was ironic when Nick Saban said it was a distraction for players to have to think about declaring for the NFL draft while they were still competing for their college teams. That's because Saban, according to Burress, was thinking about leaving the Spartans while he was still coaching them.
Burress, a first-round pick of the Steelers in 2000, tweeted Wednesday that Saban told his players he was committed to the team -- a day before he left for LSU in December 1999.
N Saban looked his players in the face at the Duf, said he wasnt leavin, I'm committed to the program" and was gone the next day. Tru story
— Plaxico Burress (@plaxicoburress) July 15, 2015Now Nick Saban players are being distracted by the NFL and chasing a dream, haha tell your story Nick. LSU showed you $$, you was GONE! Ha
— Plaxico Burress (@plaxicoburress) July 15, 2015If that's how it went down, Saban wouldn't have been the last coach to say one thing about his coaching status and do something else. In fact, it wouldn't be the last time it happened with Saban.
Here are five other times big-name coaches bolted after professing that they weren't going anywhere, including Saban's second such scenario:
Saban: 'I'm not going to be the Alabama coach'
Saban stayed at LSU for five seasons before being lured to the NFL by the Miami Dolphins in 2005. When Alabama fired Mike Shula after the 2006 season, speculation was rampant that the Crimson Tide were working to hire Saban. But Saban denied it publicly and to the Dolphins' players.
"I guess I have to say it," Saban said. "I'm not going to be the Alabama coach."
"He told us a couple weeks ago that he's proud to be a Dolphin and he's going to be sticking around," Dolphins quarterback Joey Harrington said at the time. "So I take him at his word."
Two weeks later, Saban was introduced as the new coach at Alabama.
Petrino: 'I'm not interested in any other coaching jobs'
Bobby Petrino has had an interesting relationship with honesty throughout his coaching career. It started in 2004, his second season at Louisville. While the Cardinals prepared for their bowl game, Petrino was linked to multiple other jobs.
"I want to make it clear that I'm not interested in any other coaching jobs, and am happy at the University of Louisville," Petrino said at the time. "I'm very excited about our move into the Big East, the opportunity to play in a BCS bowl game, and the chance to compete for a national championship."
Soon after making that statement, he interviewed for the LSU job that went to Les Miles. Before the 2006 season, Petrino upped his commitment to Louisville by signing a hefty 10-year contract.
"I wanted to make sure everyone understood -- I know I've said it -- that this is where I want to be, where my family wants to be. But I want everyone to really believe it."
That devotion lasted one more season. Six months later, Petrino took the Atlanta Falcons' head-coaching job.
It wouldn't be the last time Petrino's honesty was called into question, but surprisingly he landed back at Louisville in 2014, bringing plenty of baggage with him.
Graham: 'Nothing but mercenaries'
After winning at least 10 games three times in four seasons at Tulsa, Todd Graham headed to Pittsburgh to replace the fired Dave Wannstedt in 2011.
After a 6-6 season, three of Graham's assistants left to take jobs elsewhere. Graham labeled the departed coaches as "nothing but mercenaries." Two weeks later, Graham was off to Arizona State for his fourth head-coaching job in a span of seven seasons.
Graham is entering his fourth season with the Sun Devils, although his name has been tied to multiple openings, including Florida and Texas.
Sarkisian: 'We are doing something special here'
Former BYU quarterback Steve Sarkisian was in his fifth year as head coach at Washington when USC fired Lane Kiffin in the middle of the 2013 season. Sarkisian had previously been an assistant at USC under Pete Carroll.
When his name was mentioned as a candidate to replace Kiffin, Sarkisian made it clear he had no intention of leaving the Huskies anytime soon.
"USC is a good place, don't get me wrong. I had a wonderful time there, but man, we are doing something special here," Sarkisian told The Dan Patrick Show. "It's been taking up 4½ years to build this thing the right way."
Sarkisian also said he wanted to stay at Washington longer than Don James, who coached the Huskies for 18 seasons.
Before Washington's bowl game that year, Sarkisian had taken the USC job.
Calipari: 'This is where I want to coach'
It's not just a football phenomenon. When Memphis landed at the airport after its Sweet 16 loss in the 2009 NCAA men's basketball tournament, coach John Calipari was asked about the opening at Kentucky, which had fired Billy Gillispie after missing the tournament for the first time since 1991.
"I want to be here. This is where I want to coach," Calipari told reporters gathered on the tarmac.
Three days later, Calipari accepted the Kentucky job.