Nick Saban may return to coaching, ex-Alabama star says insider told him

Nick Saban could return to coaching at some point in the future, former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy says someone “very much in the know” has told him privately.

“A very much in the know person that I have a lot of respect for and have spent a lot of time around, and just really, really admire, they seem to think Nick Saban is not done coaching,” McElroy said on WJOX Radio in Birmingham.

“He’s pretty adamant that he thinks Nick Saban will be coaching again,” he added.

When asked about the particular source of information regarding that claim, McElroy replied: “If it wasn’t someone notable, I would never say a word.”

He added: “He is of firm belief that Nick Saban will coach in college football again.”

Saban joined the ESPN network as a football commentator last season after retiring from Alabama, but is notably not present among his colleagues for SEC Media Days.

That’s after he was deeply involved in the network’s coverage of the event last season, and his absence in 2025 has led to a surge in online speculation the former coach may be considering a career change.

Saban retired from Alabama boasting the single greatest run of achievements by any head coach in college football history, winning an NCAA-record seven national championships.

For his part, Paul Finebaum doesn’t believe the talk about a Saban comeback.

“You know Nick Saban better than I do, but I ran into somebody the other day who spends time with Saban in Florida -- you can imagine where -- and said that he is literally having the time of his life,” Finebaum told McElroy in response.

“Why wouldn’t he? I’m much closer to Nick Saban’s age than you are and I can assure when you have everything you want and starting playing golf at the best clubs in America, and you start making friends who belong to even better clubs, and you make a lot of money for doing very little on TV, the interest in doing what he walked away from is not very high.

“He had a better situation at Alabama the day he left than he’ll ever have anywhere he goes, let’s say next year. I don’t know if it’s college or pros. Could he be talked into something in the NFL? I don’t know how, because I don’t think that itch burns anymore, either.

“But my opinion is Nick Saban is done in coaching.”

--