GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The NFL is no easy thing to turn down. The league is the top of the top when it comes to football, and when a team comes calling they typically land their guy, especially if that guy is in college.

Following Florida’s beat down of Michigan in the Peach Bowl the Cincinnati Bengals were reportedly interested in Gators defensive coordinator Todd Grantham for the same position.

Head coach Dan Mullen, who brought Grantham to Florida from Mississippi State, knew how touted Grantham has become and admits he was worried about losing his defensive coordinator.

“You’re always concerned when you have good coaches,” Mullen said. “I think Todd’s one of the best defensive coaches in America. A lot of people want him. I think a lot of our coaches people are coming after because, one, we have a good coaching staff.

“Two, we run a good program and I think a lot of people are interested in how we run the program or to get somebody from a program that has been as successful as our has. There’s always that concern.

“For me I think we try to make this a great place to work, have a great quality of life and you’re at one of the premier schools in America to coach at. There’s a lot of draws for guys to want to stay here.”

Grantham, who has spent a decade coaching in the NFL, went through the interview process, made the short list for the Bengals and it was even reported he was the leading candidate for the job.

Many around the league believed a deal was probable, but Grantham eventually declined the position to stay at Florida, and his players are excited to continue working with him.

“It’s pretty exciting, Coach Grantham deciding to come back,” Gators defensive lineman Zach Carter said. “I think this defense has a lot to build on. I really think Florida is inching on winning a national championship, starting with the SEC. I think we’re pretty close, so I’m glad he came back to be a part of that.”

Although he elected to stay, you would think the notion of the NFL and how far it was explored would worry Florida. It worried the head coach, but surprisingly not his players.

“I had a feeling he loved the Gators,” fellow Florida defensive lineman Elijah Conliffe said. “I see him on the sidelines after we won a game taking his hat off, throwing it to the ground getting excited so I feel like he wasn’t going to go anywhere.”

“I’ve seen it but me personally I was comfortable with it,” Adam Shuler added. “I was pretty sure he was going to come back.”

Following a very solid 10-3 first season that saw the Gators defeat LSU, Mississippi State, FSU (for the first time in half a decade) and Michigan the Gators are certainly on the right track toward building a championship contending team.

What kept Grantham around though isn’t just the production on the field and winning games. Although that helps obviously, Conliffe believes it was what the Gator nation brings to every game.

“It’s very big because he brought in a great defense for us and helped us play to our strengths so I’m really glad he came back,” Conliffe said of his coach.

“Even though it’s the NFL, more money, but I feel like just the atmosphere, especially at the LSU game I know he was very excited about that. He talked to us about it. So, I felt like he wasn’t going anywhere.”

Now the Gators are able to hang on to their coveted defensive signal caller, and not only are his fellow coaches and his players excited about it, they understand what it means and want to pay that loyalty back.

“We know it’s a business overall and some coaches see a new opportunity and will leave but seeing him stay here, I don’t know, it just makes you want to play harder for him as well,” Conliffe said.