“Let's talk about it” - Buffalo Bills RB Damien Harris has unique reaction to $70M-worth Nick Saban’s polarizing views on NIL

Buffalo Bills running back Damien Harris, who played college football at Alabama from 2015 to 2018, recently commented on his former coach Nick Saban's views on Name, Image and Likeness.

Saban has been vocal about NIL, saying that allowing players to use their name, image and likeness to make money is a positive thing. However, he has also expressed concern over the unintended consequences of collective fundraising, which has become increasingly popular among players.

Recently, in a discussion on the future of college athletics on Capitol Hill, Saban lamented the changes in the sport. Many athletes, including the Cavinder twins, Haley and Hanna, as well as Harris, have expressed support for Saban's call to action. Harris shared Saban's words on Instagram:

“All the things I believed in for all these years, 50 years of coaching, no longer exist in college athletics.”

Harris, who won two national championships under Saban before being drafted by the Bills in 2019, captioned the post:

“Let's talk about it.”

Screenshot, via Instagram

During the roundtable in Washington, Saban, whose net worth in 2024 is about $70 million (per Clutch Points), added:

“It’s whoever wants to pay the most money. Raise the most money, buy the most players is going to have the best opportunity to win. And I don’t think that’s the spirit of college athletics, and I don’t think it’s ever been the spirit of what we want college athletics to be.”

Meanwhile, Harris is a pending free agent, and his future in the NFL is uncertain.

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Nick Saban forgoes massive salary in retirement decision

Former coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

After a 17-year journey at Alabama, Nick Saban decided to retire in January. The decision came after the team's 27-20 loss to Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

Before his retirement, the Alabama Board of Trustees Compensation Committee had approved an eight-year contract for Saban, which was valued at a staggering $93.6 million and set to expire in Feb. 2030.

The contract made Saban the highest-paid coach in college football, with an annual salary of approximately $11.7 million, surpassing the average salary of $11.25 million earned by Georgia coach Kirby Smart.

By retiring, Saban forwent what would have been a record salary of $12.7 million in 2029, leaving more than $70 million unclaimed, according to Daily Express US.