Nick Saban shares origin story of leather jacket, Miss Terry's take on his style
Nick Saban is no stranger to cold weather. Evidently, he has the wardrobe to prove it.
Saban, a man rarely seen in public wearing anything other than his game day attire or a suit, unintentionally went viral on Friday, when Alabama first touched down in frigid Indianapolis for the national championship game. Saban walked down the tarmac and fielded questions from the media while wearing a tan leather jacket, the likes of which few Alabama fans saw coming. Fans got quite the kick out of his jacket, and so too did Saban’s players.
On Saturday, just 24 hours after Saban’s cold weather attire set Twitter ablaze, he explained on his radio show that contrary to popular belief, the outfit is not actually new. It’s a look that he’s had tucked away for many years. The leather jacket simply began collecting dust while Saban coached in warmer weather — that, and the fact that the look briefly went out of style, he claimed.
“Does anybody want to guess, would anybody like to guess how old that coat is?” Saban asked on his radio show.
“Well, the way you’re talking, it was probably 20, 30, 40 years old or something,” Alabama radio host Eli Gold responded.
“That jacket, whatever you want to call it, was in style, has been out of style, and is back in style,” Saban quipped. “I have a new one, and Terry says, ‘Why don’t you wear your new one?’ Are you kidding?”
Saban didn’t actually clarify how old the leather jacket is. His daughter, Kristen Saban Setas, later posted an Instagram story that said the jacket is over 30 years old. And some reporters uncovered photos of Saban, which date back nearly 20 years, wearing the same leather jacket — you know, back when it “was in style” for the first time.
It’s only fitting that Saban broke out such an iconic look for the national championship. Fortunately, the national championship game between No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia — set to kickoff on Monday at 8:00 p.m. ET — will be played indoors at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Alabama players love Saban’s ‘fly’ leather jacket
As Saban’s leather jacket made its rounds on social media, Alabama players began to rhapsodize about the look in press conferences.
“Coach’s jacket was fly,” Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young said. “(Saban) is always going to step into something we maybe haven’t seen before as a team. That’s to be expected.”
Defensive back Jordan Battle echoed Young’s thoughts, adding that the outfit delighted him.
“His jacket was very cool,” Battle said. “I haven’t seen Coach Saban styled like that. And to see that he has a little swag, it kind of brings joy to my heart.”
“We was coming up here to Indianapolis, we knew it was going to be real cold outside. He told us to grab a coat,” running back Brian Robinson said. “That was the coat he grabbed to keep himself warm for the time being out here.”
Saban just so happened to grab one hell of a coat.