The football world is seeing a whole era go by, especially when it comes to legendary head coaches who have won championships left and right. Following the surprise announcement that Pete Carroll will step down as head coach of the Seattle Seahawksto remain with the team as a consultant, it was announced that the legendary Nick Saban, the seven-time NCAA national champion with LSU (1) and Alabama (6), is retiring from college football.
Saban is bidding farewell to his illustrious 17-year tenure with the program. This marks the end of an era that saw Saban guide the Crimson Tide to an unprecedented level of success, including six national titles within a 12-year period. Multiple sources have confirmed this decision, as initially reported by ESPN.
At 72 years old, Saban leaves behind a remarkable legacy as the only coach to have secured seven national titles in the poll era of college football. His accolades include one title at LSU and an impressive six at Alabama. Under his leadership, the Crimson Tide maintained winning seasons since 2008 and boasted a commendable 16-7 bowl record.
Saban’s final season with Alabama culminated in a 12-2 record, culminating in a hard-fought 27-20 overtime loss to Michigan, the eventual national champions, in the Rose Bowl.
Reflecting on his time with the program, Saban expressed gratitude for the support and dedication of both the players and staff: “It has been an honor to lead this program and witness the incredible growth and achievements of our team over the years.”
Is Bill Belichick next?
Following the announcement of Saban’s retirement, there is only one head coach of that generation left with a job, at least for the time being, as it is not known what will happen to him, despite rumors circulating: Bill Belichick. Following Saban’s announcement, rumors quickly spread across the Internet, with some suggesting that Saban would take Belichick’s place as head coach of the Pats.
The friendship between Saban and Belichick is well known, and they even worked together when Bill was beginning his coaching career with the Cleveland Browns. Saban was his Defensive Coordinator from 1991 to 1994, so if Belichick leaves the Pats, it would make sense for Robert Kraft to go for another coach of the same caliber. Saban was already a head coach in the NFL, with the Miami Dolphins from 2005 to 2006, where he had records of 9-7 and 6-10.
Although Belichick has not made a decision (or Robert Kraft, for that matter), it is strongly rumored that he could leave the Pats to either retire or become the head coach of another team, with the Los Angeles Chargers sounding strongly.
While we wait to know what Belichick’s future will be, the reality is that if he retires then the world of football, be it college or professional, will be watching a great generation of coaches leave to make way for the new generations, who surely have a lot to learn from them.
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