Alabama’s Nick Saban is stepping down, calling time on a coaching career many deem to be the greatest ever.
72-year-old Saban spent 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa, winning seven national championships and establishing the Crimson Tide as one of – if not the – most dominant forces in college football.
The former Dolphins head coach has decided to end his glistening career following a loss to eventual national champion Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
The college football and wider sporting world was collectively stunned by the announcement, with countless stars sharing their tributes on social media honouring the legend.
Rap superstar Drake also shared his shock at the bombshell news, taking to Instagram to pay homage to the Alabama icon.
The Toronto native shared one photo of Saban shouting on the sidelines, and another with his thumbs up next to text of Alabama’s iconic ‘Roll Tide’ mantra.
‘Drizzy’ captioned the image with his stunned three-word reaction, writing: “It can’t be.”
Fellow college football coach and current Colorado Buffaloes leader Deion Sanders also led the tributes on social media.
‘Coach Prime’ wrote on X: “WOW! College Football just lost the GOAT to
“WOW! I knew it would happen 1 day soon but not this soon. The game has change so much that it chased the GOAT away. College football let’s hold up our mirrors and say HONESTLY what u see.”
Saban finishes his coaching career with a 292-71-1 record and the most legendary NFL player tree in football history.
He took over in 2007 and dominated the SEC thereafter, winning 11 SEC championships and posting 16 straight seasons with 10 or more wins.
“The University of Alabama has been a very special place to Terry and me,” Saban said in a statement following the news.
“We have enjoyed every minute of our 17 years being the head coach at Alabama as well as becoming a part of the Tuscaloosa community.
“It is not just about how many games we won and lost, but it’s about the legacy and how we went about it. We always tried to do it the right way.
“The goal was always to help players create more value for their future, be the best player they could be and be more successful in life because they were part of the program.
“Hopefully, we have done that, and we will always consider Alabama our home.”
