Lou Saban

Former professional football player and coach

What is Lou Saban known for?

Lou Saban, born on October 13, 1921, in Brookfield, Illinois, was a remarkable American football player and coach. He is a notable alumni from Lyons Township High School, located in La Grange, Illinois. As a player, Saban was known for his roles as a linebacker and placekicker. He played professionally for the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) from 1946 to 1949 after graduating from Indiana University.

In his time as a player, Saban achieved notable success. He was a four-time AAFC champion from 1946 to 1949 and was also recognized as an All-Pro player in 1948 and 1949. He played a total of 52 games in his professional football career.

But his accomplishments didn't stop on the field. Saban embarked on a long and successful coaching career. He started at a college level, coaching various teams including Case Tech, Washington, Northwestern, Western Illinois, Maryland, Miami (FL), and Army, among others. He transitioned to the professional league as the first coach of the Boston Patriots in the American Football League (AFL) in 1960. He later joined the Buffalo Bills two years later and led the team to back-to-back AFL championships in 1964 and 1965. He was the first head coach to win multiple AFL championships. His overall coaching record stands at 97–101–7 (.490) in the AFL/NFL regular season and 2–2 (.500) in the postseason, making an impressive career mark. He also coached college and junior college teams with records of 60–83–4 (.422) and 34–16 (.680) respectively.

His contributions to the Buffalo Bills were recognized with an induction into the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame. You can learn more about his player and coach statistics at Pro Football Reference - Player and Pro Football Reference - Coach.

Lou Saban passed away on March 29, 2009, in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. His legacy lives on through his extensive contributions to American football as both a player and a coach.