Nick Saban, the legendary college football coach who amassed six national titles during his tenure at Alabama, has transitioned seamlessly into retirement. Since stepping down from his coaching position, Saban has dedicated himself to a new passion: golf.
In an interview with ESPN's Laura Rutledge at the Masters Tournament, Saban said:
"There has not been one day that's gone by where I have not played golf."
Known for his intense focus on football and ability to adapt to changes in the sport, Saban's retirement routine revolves around the golf course.
"I can go play golf," Saban said. "So I get up early and get my chores done, and then it's like, now do I have a free pass to go do what I want to do?"
Saban's college football influence is huge, winning national titles across several decades—in the 2000s, 2010s and 2020s. His coaching approach emphasized hard work, discipline and driven goal pursuit.
Nick Saban carved an illustrious career coaching college football for 28 years. His time yielded seven national titles, 12 conference championships (11 SEC, 1 MAC) and 19 bowl game triumphs. Remarkably, Saban never experienced a losing season.
Even his worst records were .500 finishes at Michigan State. However, his influence spanned beyond a single program, as he resurrected struggling teams, stamping an indelible mark on the sport's history. After coaching the Miami Dolphins for a short stint, he landed at Alabama in 2007.
Alabama wanted success, and with Saban leading, the Crimson Tide did incredibly well. In 17 seasons, they won 201 games—more than the victories accumulated in 24 seasons before he arrived.
Nick Saban: Beyond Retirement
Nick Saban had a tremendous 17-year coaching stint at Alabama. He paid close attention to details and worked extremely hard, earning him six national titles, alongside the one at LSU.
Under his guidance, 123 Crimson Tide players joined the NFL through the draft. Forty-four of them were selected in the first round, more than any other college program.
However, the relentless pace of coaching left little time for anything else. Saban once lamented that the national title game cost him a week of recruiting time, highlighting the perpetual pressure of the profession.
Now, in retirement, Nick Saban is adapting to a new pace of life. He cherishes moments on the golf course with his three-year-old grandson, James, though he jokes about the stress of keeping him out of sand traps.
Saban's closest confidants, including Alabama head athletic trainer Jeff Allen, note the significant shift in Saban's mindset.
"You just never could [appreciate what you've accomplished] because in this business as soon as you take a breath, you're getting beat," Allen said.
Saban himself acknowledged the profound change and said:
"The biggest change for me as a person is that I lived my whole life for the last 50 years being in a hurry."
Freed from the relentless deadlines and pressures of coaching, Nick Saban now finds himself embracing relaxation and experiencing a world beyond football, a concept once foreign to him.
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