Cameras Caught Tua Tagovailoa’s Live Reaction to Nick Saban Retiring From Alabama

The former Crimson Tide quarterback was absolutely stunned.
Cameras Caught Tua Tagovailoa’s Live Reaction to Nick Saban Retiring From Alabama
Cameras Caught Tua Tagovailoa’s Live Reaction to Nick Saban Retiring From Alabama /

Nick Saban shocked the football world earlier this week when he announced his retirement after 17 historic seasons coaching at Alabama.

That list of stunned former players, coaches and fans alike included Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who played three seasons for Saban from 2017–19.

“Oh, damn!” Tagovailoa shouted in the Dolphins’ quarterbacks room when he saw the news on his phone. “Saban is retiring? ... It doesn’t even feel real.” 

Tagovailoa arrived on campus in Tuscaloosa after publicly committing to Alabama in May 2016. He appeared in eight games as a freshman, supplanting quarterback Jalen Hurts as the Crimson Tide’s starter at halftime of the 2018 national championship.

After Tagovailoa started 24 games for Saban over the next two seasons, he was selected by the Dolphins with the No. 5 pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

But even Tagovailoa, one of Saban’s 44 recruits at Alabama to end up being a first-round pick, was stunned with Saban’s decision to call it a career.


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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.