"I was in a hurry for 50 years": Nick Saban shares his biggest realization after bidding adieu to coaching

Former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban has opened up about life after retiring from coaching in a recent interview. On Wednesday, "The Next Round" on X posted a video where Saban talked about the impact retirement has had on his life now.

"Well, I'd say the biggest difference for me is I was in a hurry for 50 years," Saban said. "I mean, I was like, what's next? You know, so what, what's next? You know, just one thing after another from 7 a.m. to 10 o'clock at night. And now I'm not in a hurry."

However, Nick Saban also mentioned that his way of life was living in a hurry before, which is now different.

“But what I realized is for 50 years, I didn't even know I was in a hurry," Saban said. "It was just a way of life. So that has been a little different. We still want to make an impact. But at the same time, we can kind of do that on our terms, you know, not on the pressures of what it takes to have a successful program.”

Why did Nick Saban retire?

Nick Saban retired unexpectedly on Jan. 10 earlier this year. After a disappointing loss to Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinal, the seven-time national champion decided to step down from his role as the Alabama Crimson Tide coach.

In a candid interview with ESPN, Saban voiced his disappointment over the evolving dynamics in college football. These factors, coupled with a desire to maintain the program's core values, influenced his decision to step down.

"I was really disappointed in the way that the players acted after the game," Saban said. "You gotta win with class. You gotta lose with class. We had our opportunities to win the game and we didn’t do it, and then showing your a** and being frustrated and throwing helmets and doing that stuff ... that’s not who we are and what we’ve promoted in our program.

"I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I’m going to play because they’re thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?”

Barely a few days later, former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer was appointed as Nick Saban’s successor.

DeBoer is set to lead the Tide in the 2024 season when they take on the WKU Hilltoppers on Saturday, Aug. 31, at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game is set to kick off at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.