Kirby Smart Shuts Down Nick Saban CFB Return Rumors, 'That's Not Happening'

Two previous assistants to Nick Saban, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin and Georgia coach Kirby Smart, are split on whether they believe the former Alabama head coach will ever return to college football.

One day after Kiffin told reporters that he thinks Saban will eventually return to coaching "whether that's college or NFL," Smart was asked his opinion on the topic.

“That’s not happening. I don’t think Nick’s coming back," Smart told reporters. "I think he’s too happy where he is. I have talked to Nick pretty regularly and I just don’t see it. It’s one of those things that if he wanted to, he’d be unbelievable at it.”

"I heard all of the scuttlebutt and everything about it. I almost laughed. It was like somebody needed something interesting to talk about yesterday, so they chose to go to Coach Saban to do it," Smart added.

Smart expressed a similar opinion in a Tuesday appearance on Atlanta sports station 680 The Fan (h/t 247Sports' Mike Rodak.)

"Nah, I don't believe it will happen. But I certainly know he would be good for the game," Smart said about Saban's potential return. "I know he loves being with his grandkids. He's not gonna get off that couch without Miss Terry letting him. That's one of those hard things. He's got to bypass her first."

Saban, 73, announced his retirement from head coaching in January 2024 winning six national titles over 17 seasons with Alabama.

He has since remained connected to the game as an analyst on ESPN's College GameDay broadcast, a role for which he won an Emmy in May.