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On August 12, Alabama head coach Nick Saban was denying any rumors of his retirement in an interview on The Dan Patrick Show. Saban didn’t leave much wiggle room when he told Patrick “I don’t really think about retiring. I always think about what the heck am I going to do if I do retire. That’s the scary thought.”
Saban then doubled down by expounding on his retirement thoughts as he continued “I don’t know if that’s hard for people to understand. There’s nothing that I want to do, like some people want to go to Europe or go to Scotland to play golf, and all that. I wouldn’t mind doing all that stuff, but I don’t have to quit my job to do it.”
On Tuesday, August 23, Saban and The University of Alabama affirmed what he had to say about retirement by agreeing to a new contract that will make Saban the highest-paid coach in college football once again.
Coach Saban’s New Contract
The new contract is worth $93.6 million and will extend Coach Saban’s tenure through the 2029-2030 season. The new deal for Saban comes just weeks after Kirby Smart, Georgia’s Head Coach, signed a contract making him the highest-paid college coach.
Smart can longer make that claim as Saban’s new deal is worth approximately $500,000 more per year than his counterpart at UGA. Smart’s deal is set to pay him $11.2M per year, while Saban’s new agreement clocks in at $11.7M per year. With this new deal, Saban is now committed to Alabama through the end of the decade at which time he will be 79 years old.
Statements From Saban & The University of Alabama
In a statement released shortly after news of his contract extension broke, Saban said, “Our family is very happy to agree to a contract extension with The University of Alabama. Terry (Saban) and I are very appreciative of the unmatched commitment the University has shown to this football program and our family over the last 15-plus years. This is our home, and we look forward to finishing our career at Alabama.”
Saban’s statement continued “I’ve said this before, but the most fulfilling part of our job is seeing the players that represent our program grow and develop, not only in football, but more importantly in what they have been able to accomplish in their lives because of their involvement in our program. We want to thank the Board of Trustees, Chancellor St. John, President Bell, Director of Athletics Greg Byrne, our athletics administration, the football staff and the whole University community for their support.”
The Athletic Director at Alabama, Greg Byrne, echoed Saban’s sentiments with a statement of his own. He said, “We are incredibly fortunate to have the best football coach in the nation and one of the greatest coaches of all time, regardless of sport, here at Alabama in Coach Saban.”
Byrne’s statement went on to say “Not only have his teams been successful on the field, but they have also achieved greatly in the classroom and community. Beyond that, the impact he and Ms. Terry (Saban) have had on The University, Tuscaloosa and the state of Alabama cannot be overlooked. They are special people, and we are very thankful to have them around for many years to come. We are so proud of this program and the championship culture Coach Saban has instilled throughout.”
Coach Saban is entering his 16th season as the Head Coach of Alabama Football where he proudly has laid claim to eight SEC Championships and six National Titles. He now has another eight seasons under contract to attempt to add to those already gaudy numbers.