Nick Saban Admits He "Probably Made a Mistake" Leaving LSU for Pro Football

Saban hopped on the Pat McAfee Show on Friday, reminisced on his time in Baton Rouge.

Former Alabama Football Coach and current ESPN analyst Nick Saban on the set of ESPN's College Game Day, at the University of Texas on the South Mall, ahead of the Longhorns' game against the Georgia Bulldogs in Austin, Oct. 19, 2024. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nick Saban made his return to Baton Rouge last weekend alongside the ESPN College GameDay crew for the LSU Tigers' Week 11 clash against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The LSU fanbase welcomed Saban back to The Boot with open arms where the return had Saban reminisce on his time as the head coach of the Tigers.

Saban led the LSU program to its first National Championship in 2003 where he's been credited as a critical piece in jumpstarting the program as a whole.

On Friday, Saban hopped on The Pat McAfee Show where he detailed his time back in Baton Rouge, the experience and seemingly one "regret" from his coaching career.

“[LSU is] a wild place. Those people celebrate life, they’re great people, they have fun and you know, they like to have their party time before the game, there’s no question about that,” Saban stated. “The people treated me great there, and I appreciate that.

“You know, Terry and I loved it there. Probably made a mistake going back to pro ball from there. But only way we could go back to college was to go back to Alabama, but that’s a great rivalry. The LSU-Alabama is a great rivalry.”

Saban departed LSU for a stint as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. It was a relatively short run in the National Football League before the legendary figure made his return to college football as the shot-caller of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

After a 17-year tenure with the Crimson Tide, Saban joined the ESPN College GameDay crew this year and hasn't skipped a beat.

"[Saban] has been phenomenal," College GameDay host Rece Davis said on Oct. 15. "The quickness with which he has adapted to television. He's one of the most gifted communicators I've ever been around. He can explain things and grab your attention in psychological football or he's telling you about his business ventures. He can communicate. Everybody knows this and it's why everyone in the world wants him to come and speak."

"But television and fitting into a group is a different dynamic," Davis said. "Usually for most people, I think it almost takes a full season. For him, he's adapted very quickly. He understands the team, he's a great advocate for the show, he comes up with ideas and he's not shy about expressing his opinion yet he is not overbearing. That guy listens to everybody and takes it into consideration. He's been great and I think probably how quickly he's been great has been the only thing that's surprised me."

Saban and Co. will head to Athens (Ga.) on Saturday where the College GameDay crew will be in town for the Georgia Bulldogs versus Tennessee Volunteers Southeastern Conference matchup.

It'll be another high stakes matchup in the SEC with the GameDay squad set to be in front of the hostile Bulldogs fans once again.

For the LSU Tigers, they'll hit the road to Gainesville this weekend for a showdown against the Florida Gators in The Swamp. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.

The Game Information: LSU Tigers at Florida Gators

• Time: 3:30 PM ET
• Date: Saturday, Nov. 16
• Venue: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
• TV Channel: ABC Network

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