Nick Saban Undergoes Successful Hip Replacement Surgery

Saban said he wasn't postponing the surgery due to his plan to remain at Alabama 'a lot more years.'

Alabama coach Nick Saban underwent successful hip replacement surgery Monday, the school announced. 

It was first reported Friday by USA Today's George Schroeder that he would undergo the procedure.

According to Schroeder, Saban choose to have his right hip replaced now rather than later due to his desire to remain at Alabama for "a lot more years." Saban revealed he had been coaching through a nagging hip ailment after Saturday's spring game.

"I never noticed my hip at all until the first day of spring practice,” Saban told USA TODAY Sports. "I ran out on the field and it felt like I got a hip flexor. It didn’t feel like it was some injury or something like that, but it never went away and it actually kept almost getting worse."

Saban was reportedly limping while moving around the Alabama football facility earlier this week. The 67-year-old coach said the pain is severe in activities like climbing stairs, running and bending over and nonexistent in others. 

While he plans on being active soon after the surgery, Saban added that he'll miss not being able to play golf during the offseason.

“The only thing I hate about it is, I’ll have to not play golf for six weeks or so,” he said. “… But this is the best time for me to do it. I do a lot of speaking and evaluating and film work and stuff like that, but we’re not practicing. Other than playing golf, I probably wouldn’t be very active. So this is the best time, and then it gives me a lot of summer to get back in shape.”

Saban has won five national championships in 11 seasons at Alabama.