Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; ESPN analyst Nick Saban before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Nick Saban Weighs in on Rumor of His Return to Coaching

Originally posted on Alabama Crimson Tide on SI
By Hunter De Siver | Last updated Jul 25, 2025 9:54 AM ET

Former Alabama quarterback and current college football analyst Greg McElroy turned the world upside down on July 14, when he said that "a very much in-the-know person" doesn't believe Nick Saban is done coaching.

The seven-time national champion (six at Alabama) retired on Jan. 10, 2024 and served as an analyst for ESPN's College GameDay this past season.

But when this rumor was announced, many shared their opinions on it, including Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and Kristen Saban, the daughter of Nick Saban.

Nick Saban appeared on Fox News on Friday morning to discuss President Donald Trump's executive order to save college football, but was asked multiple times by the renowned media outlet about his potential coaching return.

"It's amazing to me that came up in the media, and the media speaks for you and thinks for you," Saban said. "I never really ever had the thought about getting back into coaching until two days ago, Miss Terry said I had to run the sweeper in the entire downstairs. So while I was running the sweeper, the thought occurred to me, 'When you are a coach, you have a heck of a lot better job than this.' So that's the only time I considered it."

Regardless of what each of the SEC coaches thought about Saban's potential return, they each explained that he's still involved in the game of college football and Saban said he's "really happy" with what he's doing now.

"It's exciting for me to work with athletic directors, conference commissioners, people in Congress to preserve the integrity of our game and continue to create opportunities for young people to create value for their future that will help them be successful in their life, which is what we always try and do as a coach," Saban said.

"There is no opportunity that I know of right now that would enhance me to go back to coaching. I enjoy what I am doing," Saban said. "I did it for 50 years. I loved it, I loved the relationship with the players, I loved the competition. But it's another station of life now. I enjoy what I am doing right now and want to continue to do it—spend more time with my family, my grandchildren. It's been really, really good."

The rumor ends here. Saban will not be returning to coaching anytime soon or maybe ever.

This article first appeared on Alabama Crimson Tide on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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