Nick Saban… retiring? Rumors have begun to emerge that the Rose Bowl Game might be Saban’s swan song. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum suggested that Saban might retire following Alabama’s 27-20 loss to Michigan in overtime on New Year’s Day.
If you ask around, though? It doesn’t sound like the thought is emerging amongst Saban’s team. Crimson Tide cornerback Terrion Arnold, an All-SEC First Team selection in 2023, sounded off on the potential of his head coach calling it a career.
In summation, Arnold thinks that there are so many other likely things.
3 Man Front posted that Arnold, who the show interviewed, said, “Coach Saban ain’t goin’ nowhere. He’s gonna die coaching.”
.@AlabamaFTBL DB @ArnoldTerrion’s response to the Nick Saban retirement rumors: “Coach Saban ain’t goin’ nowhere. He’s gonna die coaching.”
— 3 Man Front (@3ManFront) January 3, 2024
Saban has run a dynasty in Tuscaloosa since he took over in 2007. The Crimson Tide have won multiple SEC championships, several National Titles, and produced numerous Heisman Trohpy winners. They’ve been the standard in college football under Saban’s direction.
But that standard has seen some dissipation. The Rose Bowl Game defeat to Michigan didn’t help that perception obviously. With Georgia’s rise too, Alabama has dealt with some recent difficulties. It doesn’t appear that those challenges are going to stop Saban from coaching, though.
Needless to say though, the buzz is absolutely out there. So there were plenty of people who had a lot to say about Nick Saban and whether the retirement rumors had smoke to them.
https://twitter.com/Jsheff001/status/1742643539584909373
Movie credits finish rolling
*Nick Saban will return in 2024* https://t.co/eiAvpqw6W8
— D.R. Lewis (@drlewisnotthird) January 3, 2024
Man the only way Nick is retiring soon is if Mrs. Terry asks him and she’s perfectly fine with him still coaching https://t.co/y6G5EfNNIK
— Yasuke 😮💨😶🌫️ (@YasukeDaGod454) January 3, 2024
Don’t speak that into existence Terrion 😅 https://t.co/pjz8LQD5fA
— 18x National Champions 🐘 (@_Tide18Tymes) January 3, 2024
I hope not I’d rather him retire and work behind the scenes laying down new foundation. Cuz it’d take one hell of a program builder to move on from that.
I give it 2-3 years https://t.co/iv0nXOi3vM
— Uncle Tommy (@_deehunt) January 3, 2024
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022