Nick Saban Says He'd Prefer to Coach in NFL Because of NIL, Changes to CFB Landscape

Nick Saban said on The Pivot Podcast that if he had to choose today, he'd prefer to coach in the NFL over college football because of the sport's changing landscape.

"It was—I love coaching pro ball," Saban said. "I mean, and if I was going to coach today based on circumstances in college and in the NFL, I would coach in the NFL because all those things in college have changed.

"The whole idea of what college used to be is not there anymore. I mean, it used to be you went to college to develop value for your future. Now, people are going to college to see how much money they can make.

"And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but you change the whole dynamic of the importance of getting an education, making good decisions and choices about what you do and what you don't do to create value for your future. You change that whole dynamic and the idea that these guys are free agents twice a year and they can just go wherever they want."

College sports have changed quite a bit since NCAA implemented name, image and likeness policies (NIL) in June 2021. The transfer portal has become an oft-used tool after student-athletes no longer had to sit a year after switching schools beginning in 2021. At first, it was just one-time transfers, but now multi-time transfer no longer have to wait either.

The feelings Saban expressed on the podcast have bubbled to the surface recently, with ESPN's Chris Low providing some insight in March 2024.

According to Low, Saban spoke with Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne after the 2022 season about the possibility of leaving.

"Greg, this is getting more and more difficult on me," Saban told Byrne, per Low. "I'm not ready to do it now, but we're going to have to start evaluating this more on a year-to-year basis."

One year later, Saban was gone, telling Low:

"I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I'm going to play because they're thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?

"Our program here was always built on how much value can we create for your future and your personal development, academic success in graduating and developing an NFL career on the field.

"So I'm saying to myself, 'Maybe this doesn't work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it's all about how much money can I make as a college player?' I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years."

The 73-year-old Saban has enjoyed a lengthy and phenomenal five-decade coaching career that includes a 292-71-1 collegiate record at Toledo, Michigan State, LSU and Alabama. He won seven national titles—one with LSU and six at Alabama.

It appeared that Saban could have had something left in the tank in the pre-NIL era, but the changing landscape was perhaps the final straw.

In another life, Saban is perhaps a longtime NFL coach then. He does have some experience in the pros, first with the Cleveland Browns as their defensive coordinator from 1991-1994 under Bill Belichick and then later as the Miami Dolphins' head coach from 2005-2006.

He'll forever be a legend for his time in college, though, particularly in Alabama, which went 201-29 under his watch.