Will Nick Saban return to coaching? One of his former players has a clear answer

Alabama Crimson Tide - English Andreas Vou - SAM English NCAAF - English Nick Saban - English Sports

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Rumors are starting to swirl around Nick Saban‘s next move even though he officially stepped away from coaching earlier this year. While Saban himself hasn’t indicated any interest in returning, some within the college football inner circle aren’t convinced the legendary coach is done just yet.

Greg McElroy, who led Alabama to a national title under Saban in 2009 and now works as a broadcaster, dropped a compelling nugget of speculation during Monday’s edition of “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.” He revealed that someone close to the sport told him that a Saban return might not be as far-fetched as it seems.

“This is a little bit out of left field, but the question was asked of me… a very much in-the-know person that I have a lot of respect for and have spent a lot of time around, just really, really admire,” McElroy said. “They seem to think Nick Saban’s not done coaching… He’s pretty adamant that he thinks Nick Saban will be coaching again.”

That revelation was enough to stir speculation across social media and among fans of the Crimson Tide. But McElroy himself seemed to walk back the idea soon after, downplaying the chances of a Saban comeback when asked about it directly.

“I don’t think he’s coming back. I think he’s completely fulfilled with what he’s doing, but some think he misses the competition and would consider coming back. But I don’t buy that,” McElroy later told On3’s Brett McMurphy.

College football’s changing landscape could deter Saban

It’s not hard to understand why some might believe Saban still has the fire to return. The 72-year-old left the game as the most accomplished coach in modern college football history, with seven national championships, countless NFL draft picks, and a program that defined dominance for nearly two decades. That kind of career doesn’t just fade quietly into the background.

However, Saban has been openly critical of the evolving nature of college football, particularly with the explosion of the transfer portal and Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals. After his retirement, he voiced concern about the direction of the sport, indicating that the game had become more about bidding wars and less about development and tradition-two pillars of Saban’s coaching identity.

Given those sentiments, many wonder if Saban would even want to return to a sport that now functions very differently than when he was at his peak. A return to Alabama seems highly unlikely unless things go drastically wrong with new head coach Kalen DeBoer. Saban coaching at another SEC program, or even somewhere outside the conference, is nearly unthinkable for many college football purists.

Then there’s the NFL. Saban’s brief and underwhelming stint with the Miami Dolphins in the mid-2000s did not leave him eager for a second chance at the professional level. He’s consistently expressed that his heart is in college football, making a jump back to the NFL appear far-fetched.

This news was originally published on this post .

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Alabama Crimson Tide - English Andreas Vou - SAM English NCAAF - English Nick Saban - English

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