At a time when Deion Sanders has faced increased media scrutiny, he had Nick Saban in his corner.
The same can’t be said for everyone at the Worldwide Leader, with those like Stephen A. Smith, Frank Isola, and others aiming for the Colorado Buffaloes head coach after the school banned a Denver Post columnist from asking questions at press conferences this season.
But Saban, now part of College GameDay’s fabric, has praised Deion Sanders every chance he can. While the former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach isn’t weighing in on Sanders’ feud(s) with media members, he did want to highlight what Sanders has done for HBCUs.
The 72-year-old Saban lauded the ex-Jackson State head coach, with whom he has appeared in AFLAC commercials since Sanders was in Mississippi. In doing so, he emphasized the positive impact Sanders had on HBCUs during his time at Jackson State as GameDay looked at the best HBCU games of Week 1.
“Well, the HBCU, to me, is a conference that gets overlooked a little bit,” said Saban on Saturday. “I think they play some really good football, and there’s a lot of big games. No one realizes the impact that Deion Sanders had on the SWAC. They got a huge TV contract, which has now enabled them to upgrade the quality of their programs, as well as provide better opportunities for their players to develop as people, as students, and have better careers as football players.
“South Carolina State-Florida A&M, those kinds of games are great games to watch with a lot of great players.”
“No one realizes the impact that Deion Sanders had on the SWAC… They got a huge TV contract, which has now enabled them to upgrade the quality of their programs, as well as provide better opportunities for their players to develop as people, as students….” – Nick Saban pic.twitter.com/kqKlRzs6Z7
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 31, 2024
Amidst the media scrutiny, Saban’s unwavering support for Sanders is notable.
Although he hasn’t directly addressed the never-ending controversies surrounding Sanders and the media, Saban’s steady praise shows Sanders’s positive impact on the sport, particularly within the HBCU community, which Saban rightfully praised on Saturday.
As conversations around Sanders’ methods and media interactions continue and likely won’t subside anytime soon, it’s increasingly clear that at least one of the biggest names in college football still stands firmly in his corner. Having a powerful ally like Saban, especially when Sanders is under intense scrutiny, at least lends him some credibility.
