If Nick Saban returns to coaching, it won't be at Alabama or any other college

Former Alabama QB Greg McElroy dropped a bombshell on Monday on the Mac and Cube radio show, stating that a "person in the know" believes legendary Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban will return to coaching.

"If it wasn't someone notable, I wouldn't say a word," McElroy clarified.

Paul Finebaum immediately refuted McElroy's claim, but what's done is done. It's now out there that a former Alabama player, who is plugged in in sports media, believes there's a possibility that Saban's coaching career may not be done after all.

Saban retired in January of 2024 following a 17-year run at Alabama that saw him lead the program to six National Championships. He's widely considered the greatest coach in the history of the sport. But Saban is also 73 years old and has been vocal about his displeasure with the current state of college athletics.

He has also seemingly enjoyed retirement, frequently playing golf near his home in Jupiter, Florida, and bringing record-setting ratings to College GameDay. It's those things that make his return to coaching unlikely, though I am certain that the itch to coach and be a part of a team has not gone away.

If Nick Saban returns to coaching, expect it to be in the NFL, not college

I'm sure some Alabama fans would be in favor of firing Kalen DeBoer and re-hiring Nick Saban immediately if the legendary coach wanted his job back in Tuscaloosa. But this is DeBoer's program now, and that fact is extremely unlikely. DeBoer is building the program for the future. Saban, as great as he was and probably still is, has a much shorter shelf life.

Even if Saban returns to coaching, how many years does he realistically have left to give the game in that capacity? Three? Maybe four?

It's impossible to see Saban coaching at another college, either. He has proven everything that can be proved at this level. There's nothing left.

So if Saban retired from retiring, I would expect it to be to chase the one thing in coaching that has always alluded him: a Super Bowl ring.

Saban spent eight years coaching in the NFL, six as an assistant and two as a head coach. He was a DB's coach with the Houston Oilers, the defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns, and the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. But despite winning seven National Championships in college, Saban never won the big one in the NFL at any of those stops.

It would only make sense if he decided to come back to coaching that he give that a shot.

Saban would turn 75 during the 2026 NFL season, the soonest he would likely return to the sidelines, but he could be reenergized by Pete Carroll coming back to coach the Raiders, and Bill Belichick taking the North Carolina job. They are both the same age as Saban.

Coaching in the NFL would also give Saban the work-life balance he never had in college and has grown to enjoy. Unlike the college game, NFL coaches have a real offseason where they aren't worried about recruiting, the Transfer Portal, or retaining their own players.

Saban's return to the NFL after 18 years away would likely be contingent on the right opportunity. At this stage, he would want a chance to win and coach a ready-made contender. He wouldn't have the time or patience for a rebuild.

Things change quickly in the NFL, but at this moment, there doesn't seem to be a legitimate contender that would be in need of a head coach. But all it takes is one season short of expectations to change that.