The football coaching world saw two massive shocks Wednesday. First, the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks moved on from head coach Pete Carroll after 14 seasons, with Carroll shifting to an analyst role but making it clear he would have preferred to continue coaching. Then, in the NCAA ranks, another 72-year-old, Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, retired after 17 seasons there. ESPN’s Chris Low broke that news:
Nick Saban is retiring, sources tell ESPN. He won six national titles at Alabama.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) January 10, 2024
Saban just informed his team that he’s retiring.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) January 10, 2024
Saban had coached the Crimson Tide since 2007, winning six national titles there in addition to the one he won in 2003 at LSU. He also won 11 SEC titles over his career, including this year’s, which paved the way for Alabama to make a surprising (and controversial) College Football Playoff appearance. So his departure is an incredible end of an era. And that led to a lot of social media comment on his impact:
On Nick Saban, there was a bit of quiet chatter this could be coming, but when it does, it's still a stunner. The unexpected domino that falls means some big time program is losing its coach who didn't have any idea that was even possible.
An all-time legendary run in T-Town.
— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) January 10, 2024
In Nick Saban’s last 16 seasons at Alabama:
199-23 (.896 winning percentage)
9 SEC titles
6 National Championships
The college football 🐐🐐🐐
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 10, 2024
Nick Saban Career Overview:
🐐 292 Career Wins
🐐 7 National Championships
🐐 11 SEC Championships
🐐 2X Coach of the YearWhat a career👏 pic.twitter.com/5w6qZLTfy2
— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 10, 2024
Nick Saban is one of the best to ever do it:
🐐 7 National championships (6 w/ Bama, 1 w/ LSU)
🐐 5x SEC COY awards
🐐 297 career wins (5th all-time)28 years of greatness pic.twitter.com/WlEGUFYXz6
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 10, 2024
I covered every second of the Nick Saban era at Alabama. I documented a historical run. Legendary became normal. And it’s with zero hyperbole that I confidently proclaim he’s the best to ever do it.
— Aaron Suttles (@AaronSuttles) January 10, 2024
Saban certainly had an incredible run with Alabama. The nine SEC titles with that team in 16 seasons are remarkable enough, but he managed to win national championships not just in four of those seasons, but also in 2011 and 2017. And that adds to a remarkable coaching career overall, which saw him go 292–71–1 in college (with LSU, Michigan State, and Toledo in addition to the Tide) and 15-17 in a two-year NFL stint with the Miami Dolphins in 2005 and 2006. The college football world will be very different without him.
