National Championship winner reveals Nick Saban's coaching method as "blessing in disguise" at Alabama 

Slade Bolden has given insight into what it was like to play for Nick Saban. On Thursday, AL.com's Ben Flanagan interviewed the former NFL star about his college career with the Alabama Crimson Tide and how Saban's coaching impacted him.

"The way he ran things and the way we went about just our schedule and our practice and the way we prepared, and that just translated so much into the league, and I think like being disciplined and...you don't have a choice but to work hard. Like, if you're not going to work hard, you're not going to make the first day," Bolden said (26:11 onwards).

Bolden added that he already had the mindset to work hard and learn whatever he could when he joined Alabama in 2018. However, Saban's coaching style taught him to have a better work ethic to achieve his goals.

"I think that's really what instilled, you know, even more discipline, a higher work ethic and just knowing like, 'Hey, if I don't do this correctly, if I don't this the right way, I'm not going to achieve the possibility of what I could achieve,' so I think that was the biggest thing for me," Bolden said (26:56 onwards).

Slade Bolden shares how his relationship with Nick Saban differed from other coaches

Slade Bolden also discussed his relationship with his former coach and how it differed from what he was used to when he played for West Monroe High School in Louisiana. Bolden noted that he was used to having a close relationship with his coaches in high school.

However, Saban didn't have that type of relationship with his players and wanted them to be held accountable for their performance. Former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young also shared in an interview in 2023 that he had to play well to earn the coach's acknowledgment.

"Not having a personal relationship with my coach was a little different, but that's the same for me and all the other guys that played for coach Saban, but he does that in a way...that's just how he coaches, and he helps you become a man by going through what we did and becoming a better player by going through what we did, like hey, we're not babysitting you anymore," Bolden said (27:40 onwards).

"You have to learn this on your own. Like, we're here to develop you. We're going to put you through things. We're going to give you all the help you need, but at the end of the day, it is up to you. It's up to you. How great do you want to be? What's your work ethic? What are you going to put into this and reap what you sow? I think that was a blessing in disguise."

Bolden shared that the Alabama coach's methods were exhausting at times. That said, the wide receiver is glad he went to play for Saban because it made him a better person.