Is Nick Saban coming back to Alabama? Exploring 7X national champ's future prospects

Nick Saban retired from coaching on January 10, 2024, as arguably the greatest coach in the history of college football. Saban won seven national football championships as a head coach: one with the LSU Tigers and six with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

However, with the 2025 season around the corner, rumors are suggesting that Saban might unretire. With that in mind, let's look at these reports and examine the possibility of the future Hall of Famer returning to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Is Nick Saban coming back to Alabama?

No, Nick Saban is not coming back to coach the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide already has a head coach in Kalen DeBoer, and they've not indicated any intentions of parting ways with the former Washington Huskies head coach.

The reports of Saban potentially coming out of retirement originated from former Crimson Tide quarterback Greg McElroy. Speaking on his radio show with WJOX, McElroy said:

"A very much in the know person that I have a lot of respect for and have spent a lot of time around and just really, really admire, they seem to think Nick Saban is not done coaching."

McElroy continued:

"He is very adamant that he thinks (Nick) Saban will be coaching again."

However, it's important to note that McElroy did not specify whether Saban plans to return to the collegiate game or the NFL. Furthermore, the Crimson Tide isn't the only team that Saban coached at the collegiate level, as he achieved great success at LSU.

How did Alabama perform without Nick Saban in 2025?

The Alabama Crimson Tide had a decent but unspectacular season without Nick Saban on the sidelines. The program hired Kalen DeBoer to take over the most prestigious job in college football, and he led the program to a 9-4 record.

They missed out on a place in the 12-team College Football Playoff field. Furthermore, the Crimson Tide lost the 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl showdown against the Michigan Wolverines. Their fan base will hope for a better showing in 2025 under DeBoer.

The Crimson Tide will start the 2025 season with a matchup against Florida State. Other key fixtures in their quest for a playoff appearance are games against Georgia, Tennessee, LSU and Oklahoma.

Edited by Krutik Jain