Pat McAfee reacts to Nick Saban's retirement
Pat McAfee and Nick Saban appeared to build a bit of a friendship over this past season.
The former Alabama coach appeared on McAfee’s show weekly during the 2023 college football season and seemed to truly enjoy chatting with the outgoing media personality.
McAfee and Saban also spent some time together on ESPN College GameDay this year as Saban made a few appearances on the show this fall.
Pat McAfee took to Twitter recently and shared his thoughts on Nick Saban retiring.
“It was an absolute honor Coach. Just a historically legendary coaching run all the way to [Greatest of All Time] status.. DONE DAMN GOOD FOR A WV BOY Can’t wait to see what he does next,” McAfee posted.
Nick Saban announced his retirement on Wednesday after 28 seasons as a college football head coach. It’s hard to argue that McAfee isn’t right in calling Saban the greatest college football coach of all time. He won seven national championships and 11 SEC titles, reaching the College Football Playoff as recently as this past year.
Saban and McAfee could continue to work together in the future. Now that Saban is retiring as a coach, he has hinted that he could get into broadcasting.
“I’d probably like to do that,” Saban told ESPN’s Rece Davis. “Somebody told me once, you can’t start a broadcasting career when you’re 80. But I’m looking for challenges.”
Saban has done some broadcasting work over the years, notably with College GameDay during the national championship a few times. In fact, according to Front Office Sports, ESPN has “long eyed” Saban for a role on the iconic pregame show. Davis told Saban he’d be good behind the microphone, if that’s what he decides to do.
Either way, though, it sounds like Saban doesn’t want a lot of down time.
“I’m gonna keep working,” Saban said. “I mean, I don’t want to get up and watch Netflix. I want to do something. You know, I have some businesses, maybe there’s some other opportunities out there for me somewhere.”
Greg McElroy gives his take on what made Nick Saban successful
Pat McAfee is far from the only media personality coming out with praise for Nick Saban.
ESPN analyst Greg McElroy, who played quarterback for Saban at Alabama, recently shared his thoughts on the coaching legend and what made him successful.
“He adapted with the times, whether it be their offensive identity, whether it be a group that wants to tempo and score points, when they want to take the air out of the football, play more aggressive ball control. I mean, he really changed with the times,” McElroy said on SportsCenter. “He also changed his personality, as well. And to be honest with you, today is kind of a sad day. As someone that played for him, I’m going to be celebratory. Hey, as a Bama guy, like I could not be more grateful for the time I spent with Nick Saban. To be with him for four years, there is not a single adult male in my life that has had more of an influence over me, outside of my father, than Nick Saban.
“So it’s a bittersweet day. … I’m grateful for his contributions to college football, but man, we lost a legend in the sport at one of the programs that has been so remarkably consistent for the last 17 years when he arrived.”