Bret Bielema could have been the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, but talks between the two sides in 2012 fell apart reportedly because the organization did not feel comfortable drafting Russell Wilson in the second round.
Bielema, now entering his third year as Arkansas' head coach, was interviewing for the Dolphins job after winning the 2011 Big Ten title with Wilson under center at Wisconsin. The former Badgers coach re-told his side of the tale to ESPN.com as part of a feature on the Seattle Seahawks' 2012 draft.
"They all looked at me like, 'You can't say that. That's the difference between college and pro. He's undersized. He can't throw.' I was like, 'OK, all right,' and I honestly, that day, kind of pulled myself out of it."
Bielema says he couldn't work for people he wasn't on the same page with. (Former Miami GM Jeff Ireland, now a scout with New Orleans, was not made available through the Saints for this article.)
Bielema reportedly told the Dolphins he could win a Super Bowl within five years if he could draft Wilson. Miami would go on to hire Joe Philbin for the job while Bielema returned to Madison and won a third straight Big Ten title before leaving for Arkansas.
