NFL analyst determines driving force behind Nick Saban's mega deal

Nick Saban (Inset: Pat McAfee)

Nick Saban recently signed a massive deal worth $11.7 million per year. The "Bill Belichick" of the college football scene will remain with Alabama for almost the entirety of the next decade.

Most assumed that his perennial success served as the catalyst for the mega deal, but one NFL analyst claimed other forces may have been at work.

Speaking on "The Pat McAfee Show," NFL analyst Pat McAfee hinted that TV networks may have driven the price up for the head coach. However, he also wondered whether the Crimson Tide paid him enough to keep him on the sidelines for the duration of the deal. Here's how he put it:

"Listen, $11.7 million. A lot of f**** money. Nick Saban as a kid growing up, being told he'd make $11.7 million. He'd be like, 'F***, all right.' Like, you know he would be pumped up about it.

"Do you know how much money big noon kickoff or college game day would pay that mother***** to come be on their TV show?"

McAfee went on to wonder if Crimson Tide did enough to keep him around for the full duration:

"They got him locked down for eight years and $11.7 million. A lot of money. An insane amount of money. He's made a hundred and some-odd million since 2009. That's still less than $10 million a year.

"Since 2009, a lot of money, an insane amount of money... But there's got to be networks just ready to f*** pay him and I wonder if Alabama knows that."

---

Nick Saban's career

2022 CFP National Championship - Georgia v Alabama

Nick Saban has served as the most dominant coach in college football for well over a decade.

His head coaching career goes back to 1990 when he took over at Toledo, according to Sports Reference. It was a one-year stint and Saban returned to the head of a collegiate program in 1995 with Michigan State.

He stuck with the team until the end of the 1999 season before going to LSU, where he stayed for five years, ending his tenure at the end of the 2004 season. Before joining Alabama, Saban had already led his teams to eight bowl games. In 2007, he joined the Crimson Tide on the heels of Mike Shula.

Since then, Alabama has played in bowl games every single year and hasn't lost one since 2014. Saban's troops have won three national championships and made three additional appearances in the big game.