Nick Saban reveals how he intimidated daughter’s boyfriends, softness as grandfather

During his coaching days, Nick Saban was famous for his on-field “ass-chewings” of assistants and occassional combative interactions with local media.

Turns out the former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach brought a similar antagonistic attitude home with him, especially whenever his daughter, Kristen, had prospective dates over to the house growing up.

Saban, now a full calendar year into his post-coaching career as an ESPN College GameDay analyst, opened up about how he handled his daughter’s prospective suitors during a recent appearance on The Pivot Podcast with former NFL players Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder.

“When they come and the doorbell rang, and Kristen had a date, everybody ran to open the door because they didn’t want me to open it. Because if I opened it, first thing I looked at the guy and say, ‘What do you play?’ just to intimidate the shit out of ‘em,” Saban said with a wry smile. “And everybody in the house is like, ‘Oh no, dad, don’t do that.’”

For the seven-time national champion head coach, that opening salvo was an attempt to gauge the competitiveness of those attempting to date his adoptive daughter, Kristen, now 29.

Clark then asked Saban how he reacted if his daughter’s date didn’t play any sports.

“I’d still invite the guy in, but he’d know I was disappointed that he wasn’t a competitor,” Saban added.

Nick Saban, 73, has noticably mellowed since he left coaching behind, revealing a more light-hearted side of his personality during TV appearances on College GameDay and The Pat McAfee Show. Those closest to him credit Saban’s doting relationship with his two grandchildren for his late-in-life shift in temperament, an assessment the former coach proudly accepts.

“But the grandkids, I don’t know if I can hold them to the same standard because I just melt around the grandkids,” Saban said with a smile. “I just melt.”

Nick Saban reveals Miss Terry’s message in retirement decision: ‘It’s just about how much money you’re gonna pay them’

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban has now officially gone a full year away from the sidelines as a mentor, and he seems to be right at home in his new role as a media personality. His wife, Miss Terry, certainly seems to be enjoying the new gig, too.

But much about what drove Saban to leave the sidelines has remained a mystery.

In an appearance on The Pivot podcast with Ryan Clark and Channing Crowder, Saban revealed one key factor in his retirement decision came directly from Miss Terry.

“In the end, the last year, we always have the parents over on Saturday night for karaoke and all the players on Sunday morning for breakfast when we’re recruiting,” Saban explained. “And one day she came up to me and she said, ‘Why are we doing this?’ And I said, ‘Why do you say that?’ And she said, ‘It’s always about relationships, but now it’s about how much money you’re going to pay them.’

“So that was one of the things that she hated, that she wasn’t developing relationships with the players and having them over.”

Thomas Goldkamp contributed to this report.