Najee Harris reacts to Nick Saban's retirement: 'He's got to live his life'

Najee Harris was grateful to be coached by Nick Saban at Alabama but the Pittsburgh Steelers running back is glad he retired.

Once Saban walked away at the end of last season, Harris was happy to see his former coach get a chance to enjoy life, especially with Miss Terry. Everyone’s time comes and he couldn’t be there forever.

Heck, Harris even bet Saban is happier today living a stressful free life without football.

“Hell yeah, is he happier? Hell yeah,” Harris said, via Chris McCulley. “To keep it 100, he made a comment to me three years (ago) when I first entered the NFL. So it wasn’t really surprising. Him being him and what he’s accomplished, you don’t want to see someone like that retire. But man, what people gotta understand is everybody’s time is coming soon. I’m happy that he had the energy … to walk away from it you know what I mean? It’s hard to walk away from something you really love. He’s got to live his life.

“Fans see winning but they don’t see what comes with it. Him over there staying up hella late for meetings, him over there staying up you know doing all this stuff, like injury reports, the game plan. Coaches they’re working hours (and miss time) with family and kids. Miss Terry too.” 

Harris was in Birmingham participating in Wednesday’s celebrity softball game that also included Barry Bonds, Derek Jeter and Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe as part of MLB’s Juneteenth celebration ‘Barnstorm Birmingham’ at historic Rickwood Field.

Major League Baseball was in town ahead of Thursday night’s game between San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals honoring Willie Mays and the Negro Leagues.

Harris acknowledged how special Saban’s wife is in the grand scheme of things. She made her impact on the players but know the two of them can spend time missed together.

“Miss Terry is somebody that definitely helped me out with my mom when she was in the hospital,” Harris said. “She gave her flowers and I will never forget that. So I’m happy that they can walk away. I’m happy that they can be with family and enjoy themselves, man. Like go travel, go see the world man, step away from his football stuff, man. Sometimes you can get sidetracked by all that all the expectations placed upon you because (you’re) Alabama.” 

Harris knows all too well what Saban was feeling towards the end of his career. The Crimson Tide won it all during the 2020 season and played highly competitive football since.

But Saban, like anyone else, couldn’t keep that up forever.

“I was in a whole environment. So I know how it is to lose a game,” Harris said. “I know how it is to win the game by a touchdown and it still not being enough. You know what I mean? I know how it is to blow someone out and everybody in the stadium is leaving in the second quarter or whatever. And we’ve been working our ass off all summer. 

“And it’s like damn, like, you know, as a coach, you know, you see that on kids and that kind of plays a part of you so I’m glad that he’s able to walk away. You don’t want to see it but you know, like I say everybody has their day man. Everybody gotta retire … Then, hey, let Saban get his rest.”