Nick Saban has revealed that the NCAA’s NIL policy has turned him off from a potential return to college football, as he said the ‘dynamic’ of college sports has changed.
The ruling went into effect in the summer of 2021, allowing college athletes to be paid for their name, image and likeness and completely reversing the long-held amateurism model in college athletics.
And Saban, who retired as Alabama’s head coach early last year, would prefer an NFL job if he were to return to the sidelines.
‘I loved coaching pro ball, and if I was going to coach today, based on the circumstances in college and in the NFL, I would coach in the NFL, because all those things in college have changed,’ Saban said on The Pivot podcast, via On3.
‘The whole idea of what college used to be is not there anymore. It used to be you went to college to develop value for your future. Now people are going to college to see how much money they can make.
‘And I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that, but you change the whole dynamic of the importance of getting an education, making good decisions and choices about what you do and what you don’t do to create value for your future. You changed that whole dynamic.’
Nick Saban became a college football legend at Alabama before retiring last year
He has spent his time since as an analyst on ESPN’s College GameDay each week
To Saban’s point, Ohio State’s title-winning roster was built by nearly $20million in NIL funds.
Additionally, former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck is set to earn more than $3million to play at Miami next season, according to The Athletic.
For comparison, 49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy made just $985,000 in base salary this past season.
Saban’s thoughts were echoed in a recent interview by former NFL head coach Jon Gruden.
‘That’s what I’m seeing in college sports right now. Everybody is looking out for the transfer portal and how much NIL money we deserve. It’s kinda sickening really,’ he told OutKick’s ‘Don’t @ Me’ with Dan Dakich.
Saban, who now appears on ESPN’s College GameDay, does have a bit of NFL experience if he wanted to return to the sport at the pro level.
He coached the Dolphins from 2005-06, compiling a 15-17 record, and had previously worked for the Browns as defensive coordinator, as well as the Houston Oilers as a defensive backs coach.
