Nick Saban Jan 13, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Alabama head coach Nick Saban with Lee Corso (right) on the ESPN set prior to the College Football Playoff national championship game with Clemson Tigers playing against the LSU Tigers at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
By Sam Neumann on

As soon as news surfaced that Nick Saban was retiring, the logical next step in the thought process was that he would make the transition to the media world. Saban has been a natural during his Pat McAfee Show appearances. As Awful Announcing’s Chris Novak penned in the hours following the legendary head coach’s retirement, it’s not like it’s unfamiliar territory for the 72-year-old Saban.

He has previously made appearances on ESPN during its coverage of the College Football Playoff, except when Alabama was involved, of course. And with the Worldwide Leader set to have exclusive coverage of the SEC for years to come, Saban seems like a logical fit for the network.

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Well, it takes two to tango, and according to ESPN’s Rece Davis, who conducted a one-on-one interview with the outgoing Crimson Tide head coach, Saban is really interested in broadcasting.

“He did speak quite a bit about wanting to be an advocate for the good of the game, whether that was to help find some parameters,” Davis said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show Thursday. “He really emphasized, and he really wanted it known — the NIL, transfer portal stuff — that did not chase him out of coaching. I think he managed that pretty well over the last few years. But what he says is for the sport to be sustainable so that it’s good for the players, that there needs to be some type of framework. And if he can be involved in any way doing that, he wants to continue to have a voice.

“He said they were gonna give him an office over at Bryant-Denny Stadium…He told some of the players, ‘I can get on your (butt) from there, just as easily as I can from here.’ He’s still gonna be involved. There’s no secret; I think that we know he’s really interested in broadcasting because he’s really good at it. You guys see that every week when he joins (PMS).”

There’s no denying Saban’s charisma and football acumen mind have captivated audiences during his Pat McAfee appearances. He has the intellectual depth and passion for commentary that thrives in the game. For a coach who dissects the game at such an adept level, it only seems like the natural evolution.

Saban’s likely transition to broadcasting seems like a win-win for both the now-former head coach and the network. His value in the broadcast booth and possibly the studio holds immense potential to reshape ESPN — or another network’s — college football coverage for years to come.

Update: Saban also addressed broadcasting in his interview with Davis that ESPN played Thursday night, and certainly seemed to show some interest there:

[The Pat McAfee Show]

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann