We have gone through a full college football season without seeing Nick Saban on the sidelines. However, that may not be the case going forward as rumors continue to swirl around him returning to coach. One college football insider continued to light the flames as he revealed that sources are telling him this could come to fruition.
Let’s take a deeper dive into what is happening and if Saban will be back coaching college football.
Nick Saban to Return to Coaching?
On Monday’s McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, former Alabama quarterback and ESPN analyst Greg McElroy revealed that Nick Saban may be getting back into coaching.
“This is a little bit out of left field, but the question was asked to me … a very much in the know person that I have a lot of respect for and have spent a lot of time around and just really, really admire. They seem to think Nick Saban’s not done coaching. I had a similar reaction. He’s pretty adamant that he thinks Nick Saban will be coaching again. … Look, if it wasn’t someone notable, I’d never say a word.”
Nick Saban has not been publicly in any coaching search since retiring from college football coaching following the 2023 season. Since retiring, Saban has been working with the Alabama Crimson Tide in some capacity as well as being a college football analyst for ESPN. He has been a coach for 28 years (17 with Alabama) and holds a career 297-71-1 record (NCAA adjusted it to 292-71-1) while winning seven national championships.
Saban is still part of ESPN, but not part of the SEC Network’s coverage of the SEC Media Days this year and will not be in attendance this week in Atlanta. Saban is 73 years old, but that has not stopped a program from hiring a new coach, as the North Carolina Tar Heels hired Bill Belichick at the same age. It is not unprecedented for a coach to retire and return, as we recently saw with Urban Meyer as well.
It would be interesting to see if the legendary coach returns to the sidelines, and with one ESPN analyst placing Kalen DeBoer on the hot seat entering this season, could Nick Saban return? Only time will tell if we see him with the headset on once again. It seems that if it were to happen, do not expect it until next offseason, as Saban would not be an interim coach somewhere and join a prolific program.
