Alabama coach Nick Saban said Thursday that he and other college coaches have talked to NFL and NFL Player Association representatives about agents and their contact with players.
Saban said that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was involved in a conference call on the subject. He didn't identify the other participants, but Saban said they included other coaches he respected, athletic directors and a couple of agents.
Saban, who coached the Miami Dolphins in 2005 and '06, suggested last month that he would consider restricting NFL scouts' access to Crimson Tide players. He called upon the NFLPA to police unscrupulous sports agents who entice players with financial favors.
Agents' ethics came under more scrutiny earlier this summer after the NCAA ruled that current New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush and his family accepted improper benefits while he was at USC. The Trojans received four years' probation, a two-year bowl ban and scholarship restrictions as a result.
The NCAA has been investigating alleged improper contact between agents and players at Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida and North Carolina.
Saban has temporarily closed practices to NFL scouts but said that wasn't because of the agent problem. Saban said it wasn't fair to have his players evaluated during two-a-day practices in triple-digit temperatures.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
