Former Auburn Heisman winner Cam Newton has never been one to hold back his opinions, and his latest theory about the Dallas Cowboys and Nick Saban is one for the books.
Appearing on First Take, Newton suggested that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones may have a long-term master plan—one that involves tanking in 2025, landing Arch Manning as the franchise quarterback, and then pulling Saban out of retirement to coach America’s Team.
Newton wasn’t sold on Dallas’ decision to promote offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to head coach, calling him a “one-and-done” hire. Instead of seeing Schottenheimer as a long-term solution, Newton believes the Cowboys are setting themselves up for a rough 2025 season—potentially bad enough to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. That, according to Newton, would put Texas quarterback Arch Manning squarely in Jerry Jones’ sights.
“I think they’re tanking for Arch. Make it make sense,” Newton said via On3. “Coach Schottenheimer has one-and-done written all over him… Jerry Jones is a businessman, and he’s going to get into his Don Corleone mentality and give him a deal he can’t refuse. Who? Nick Saban. Go get Nick Saban as your head coach and Arch Manning as your No. 1 pick.”
Stephen A. Smith, known for his skepticism, actually entertained Newton’s theory, admitting, “I don’t know that he’s wrong.” The idea of pairing Manning with Saban—two names tied to college football royalty—certainly raises eyebrows, even if the Cowboys’ current franchise quarterback, Dak Prescott, just signed a massive extension.
So, it obviously raises the question: Would Saban even consider coaching in the NFL again? The legendary coach retired after a dominant run at Alabama, and his brief NFL stint with the Miami Dolphins didn’t end well. However, if there’s one thing Jerry Jones has, it’s the ability to make deals that few can refuse.
For now, though, we'll file this under the umbrella of "wild theories" and nothing more.