It’s no secret that Nick Saban was not a fan of NIL, and many college football fans pointed to that as why he ultimately decided to leave the game following this past season. However, in an interview with ESPN, Saban denied those allegations and shared why he actually decided to step away from the game.
Age is in Fact, Not Just a Number for Nick Saban
While sitting down with Reece Davis, Nick Saban said that age was ultimately the leading factor to him stepping away from the game. He shared the following:
“There’s no illness. Miss Terry’s fine. I’m fine,” Saban said, referencing his wife of 52 years. “When I was young, you know, I could work ’til 2 in the morning, get up at 6 and be there the next day and be full of energy and go for it, but when you get a little older, that gets a little tougher, and I’m sure a lot of people can relate to that.
“It was a hard decision. I love coaching. I love the relationship with the players. But at the same time, I felt like I could have done a better job if I was younger.”
It’s no secret that Saban doesn’t like to do anything at anything other than 100%. This was obvious in games where Alabama would be up by 50 points, and Saban would still be screaming at his players for missing a block or taking a bad angle on a tackle.
Perhaps it is really as simple as Saban seeing himself as unable to perform at the same level that he expected his players to perform. Whether you like Saban or not, if that was why he stepped away, you’ve got to respect that.
Nick Saban Addressing the NIL Rumors
As mentioned before, it has been well documented that Nick Saban does not like NIL, or at least how it is currently being run in college football. Many have speculated that the NIL rule changes drove Saban from the game. Perhaps it was a factor, but Saban is denying it. When asked if NIL was the reason he left, he shared the following.
“Don’t make it about that. It’s not about that,” Saban said. “To me, if you choose to coach, you…need to adjust to it and adapt to it and do the best you can under the circumstances and not complain about it.”
So, while NIL may have been one of the factors that Saban felt he couldn’t compete with at a 100% level, it wasn’t the sole or even main reason he decided to step away. Saban is 72 years old, and sometimes it can be hard for fans to accept that coaches, celebrities, and other public figures age just like the rest of us.
Saban ended the interview by saying that regardless of what is going on in Alabama, he is happy to step in and help out in any way they need. He also said he is happy with the hiring of former Washington Head Coach Kalen DeBoer to take over the program.
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"It was just the right time."
.@ClowESPN takes a behind-the-scenes look at Nick Saban's stunning retirement, the Tide's quick succession process and Kalen DeBoer's decision to follow a legend: https://t.co/njKdRrEKeg
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) March 6, 2024