What did Joe Manchin say about Nick Saban’s political career?

US Senator Joe Manchin is childhood friends with former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban. He spoke about Saban potentially being a politician. The seven-time NCAA champion has been linked to politics before, but he has never run.

After Joe Biden stepped down as the Democratic nominee, Saban was mentioned as a possibility of being Kamala Harris' vice presidential choice. However, in January, Manchin was asked about Saban potentially running for Senate, which he shut down immediately.

“First of all you can put that out of your mind, because Nick won’t run,” Manchin told USA Today (via Al.com). “He would never run.”

Saban has mostly stayed away from politics, except for when he endorsed his friend back in 2018.

“Joe and I grew up together in West Virginia and he never forgets where he came from,” Nick Saban said in an ad released in 2018 (via Politico). “I don’t have a better friend or know a better person than Joe Manchin.”

Nick Saban is a longshot to be VP

Nick Saban is listed on the betting odds to be Kamala Harris' VP if she wins the Democratic nomination, but the former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach isn't given much of a chance.

Saban is +25000 of becoming the vice president, which doesn't give the former Crimson Tide coach much of a chance. +25000 odds imply just a 0.4% chance of it happening, so it's likely that Saban won't be the vice president.

Ultimately, Saban will likely not be involved in politics, as Manchin says, as his focus remains on college football and family.

Despite retiring as the head coach of Alabama, Saban was hired by ESPN to be a college football analyst for the season. He worked his first SEC media day, which was unique to him as he forgot his credentials, which he realized he needed.

"It's a little different. I've never worn a credential in my life and was always for 17 years able to get into SEC Media Day without a credential. I had to go back to the room today and get my credentials to get in," Saban said.

Saban went 292-71-1 in 28 seasons as a coach in college football and won seven national championships.