Legendary Alabama head football coach Nick Saban shocked the sports world Wednesday (Jan. 10) by announcing his retirement. In addition to winning seven national championships—six at Alabama and one at LSU—Saban developed many players and assistants who made a successful leap to the pros.
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Saban is currently ranked fifth on college football’s all-time wins list, with a record of 292-71-1. But in his retirement statement the coach said, “It is not just about how many games we won and lost, but it’s about the legacy and how we went about it.” Saban also emphasized he’s made it a priority to help players find success in life after football.
Saban, 72, has previously spoken about his Christian faith and how it affected his leadership style.
Nick Saban on Character and Morals
During an appearance on the SEC Network in December 2020, Nick Saban was asked if he’d be watching the upcoming playoff selection show, slated for a Sunday morning. “I go to church from 11 to 12,” he replied, “so they’re going to have to either schedule it at a different time, or I’m going to find out [the results] when I get out of church.”
Saban, who is Catholic, regularly attends St. Francis of Assisi Church in Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama. Father Tom Ackerman said Saban and his wife, Terry, are a familiar sight at the parish but “don’t garner a lot of extra attention.”
Nick and Terry Saban helped fundraise to expand the church facility and to construct the Saban Catholic Student Center. “We felt it would be great for [college students] to have a place where they can go socialize and develop the kind of relationships that might be helpful to them and their faith development,” the coach said about the center, which serves about 6,000 students.
Saban, whose father was a football coach, grew up rooting for Notre Dame. When asked in 2016 if his faith affected his work, Saban said, “I don’t think there’s any question about the fact that character [and] moral development are all a part of leadership.”
The coach added, “I look at it as, we always say, ‘God have mercy,’ but that mercy is not a well. It’s not a cistern. It’s a channel that should run through us to other people. That’s part of what we try to do for our players, so they have a chance to be more successful in life.”
Nick Saban on Leadership and Teamwork
After 17 seasons with Alabama, Saban said he’ll continue supporting the football program as it transitions to new leadership. “I’m always going to be here for Alabama however they need me,” he said.
Saban will be remembered as a hands-on leader who emphasized the importance of “the process.” During 28 seasons as a college head coach, Saban never had a losing season. (During his two years in the pros, he led the Miami Dolphins to a 15-17 record.)
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