"One of the worst decisions of my life": Kadyn Proctor finally breaks silence on decision to leave Alabama post Nick Saban's retirement

Kadyn Proctor admits he regretted his decision to transfer from Alabama to Iowa after Nick Saban retired. After Saban announced his retirement as the Crimson Tide's head coach, Proctor entered the portal and transferred to Iowa, the school he originally committed to out of high school.

Proctor is from Des Moines, Iowa but just four months after transferring to Iowa, he walked back in his commitment and went back to Alabama.

"I definitely regret it," Kadyn Proctor said to 247Sports. "It's probably one of the worst decisions that I've made in my life. Because, looking back, I had so many people that cared for me here and were trying to tell me that this was the best place for me, and I really wasn't thinking it through."

"I let Coach [Kalen] DeBoer and the staff talk to me, trying to convince me to stay, but I wasn't really sitting there and listening to them. I was just so hell bent on going back home, no one was going to change my mind. Even my parents told me that ... I said, 'You're right.' Nothing else I can do but say you're right and I made a mistake."

Proctor says he drove to Alabama to apologize face-to-face to Kalen DeBoer for his reactive decision. The offensive linemen also apologized to his teammates who he says accepted his apology right away.

"I'm sorry for not hearing y'all out," he said. "I'm ready to get back and do everything for this team... It was humbling because I'm not really the type of person to do that. But I felt like that was the right thing to do because I realized I really didn't listen."

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Kadyn Proctor to anchor Alabama offensive line

Kadyn Proctor was a First-team All-SEC Freshman last year and when he entered the portal he was the No. 2 player available and the best offensive tackle available.Coming out of high school, Proctor was a five-star and was the top tackle available and the fifth-best player available.

With Proctor returning to Alabama, he is expected to reclaim his starting left tackle spot and be the key lineman for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama will open its 2024 college football season on Aug. 31 at home against Western Kentucky.