Nick Saban Says NIL Is Not the Reason He Retired, Despite Criticism of System

The former Alabama coach discussed his exit in an interview with Fox News’s Bret Baier.

In the two months since his retirement from Alabama, legendary former coach Nick Saban has been vocal about his gripes with the modern game of college football.

For instance, on March 6, Saban lamented the impact of player earning power and the transfer portal on the Crimson Tide’s normal offseason processes.

“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?” Saban told ESPN’s Chris Low.

On Thursday, however, Saban denied that the advent of NIL rights specifically was the reason he retired in an interview with Fox News’s Bret Baier.

“I just never wanted to see the program go down, and I felt whether it was recruiting or hiring coaches and people wanting to know how long you’re going to be there,” Saban said of his reasoning. “When you get to 72 years old, it gets harder and harder to promise people you’re gonna be there for four or five more years.”

Nick Saban retired after leading Alabama to the College Football Playoff semifinal in 2023–24 :: Rob Schumacher/The Republic/USA TODAY Network

In his final year, Alabama went 12–2, won the SEC title and reached the College Football Playoff—losing 27–20 in overtime to Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

“I loved coaching. We adapted well to the system. At Alabama, we were one of the ‘haves’ in this new, current system even though I see some serious problems with it moving forward in the future,” Saban said.