College football simply can’t resist Nick Saban. We’re well into the offseason, and amid that, there’s a huge rumor circulating that the GOAT is coming back to the field. It all began when ESPN analyst and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy commented on his program. A “very much in the know insider” informed him that Saban is not ready to hang it up yet. This source was not speculating; they were resolute that Saban would return. Of course, that lit a firestorm. Fans began imagining Saban roaming the sidelines again. And perhaps even scheming to revive college football greatness or, who knows, even try to take a swing at the NFL.

But then, of course, came Paul Finebaum, the voice of reason for college football and a man who’s heard more Saban rumors than the rest of us have enjoyed hot dinners. When McElroy mentioned the possibility on air, Finebaum cut it down with a firm “No.” He suggested that Saban is currently living his best life: playing golf at the finest clubs, making decent money for doing a little TV work, and, quite frankly, getting to enjoy retirement. But the story does not stop there. Former Alabama running back and CBS Sports analyst Damien Harris joined the conversation, and he had something else to say.

When the rumor mill began grinding on the possibility of Nick Saban emerging from retirement, you knew it would not be long before retired Alabama greats chimed in. And sure enough, Damien Harris, one who has learned a thing or two about winning under Saban. “I think if given the proper opportunity, I don’t think that you could pay him not to take it, to be honest with you,” Harris says to a Crimson Tide reporter.

Harris at first believed Saban would retire only “when he physically cannot walk off the field. When somebody has to pick him up and carry him off the field, that might be when he retires.” For Harris, Saban’s retirement just never seemed right. When the all-time great coach retired in January 2024, Harris was outspoken about how strange it seemed to have college football without Saban patrolling the sidelines.

He says, “This don’t feel right, because he can still do it.” Even after retiring from coaching, he’s dove right back into the middle of college football. But not as a coach, as a protector of the sport. He’s now a regular on ESPN’s College GameDay. It’s where he analyzes games and argues about the future of the game, and, more importantly, they have asked him to co-chair a new commission on college athletics. Which is designed to address the mess on NIL, the transfer portal, and the evolving world of college sports. Why? Because Saban genuinely loves the sport. Harris genuinely believes Saban still has the fire and the ability to coach at the highest level.

What a return means for the Saban family

For Damien Harris, the prospect of Saban’s return isn’t a pipe dream; it’s something that would be right for the sport. But if Nick Saban were to go back to coaching, then one can’t help but wonder how pleased Miss Terry [Terry Saban] would be about that, considering how much he adores being at home.

“Now, Ms. Terry, on the other hand,” Harris continues. “I don’t know if she would agree, because I know Ms. Terry, and she loves having Coach Saban at home.” Harris adds to that, “Well, I will say this, though, if she does not sign off on it, I don’t know if he will [return]…And he’s made Ms. Terry happy, now imagine taking that happiness back.”

Terry Saban, aka Miss Terry, has been Nick’s pillar of strength for more than five decades, bolstering him through each high-stress instant and lengthy season since they met in seventh grade and married in 1971. Nick once said Miss Terry instructed him to be friendlier to the media, which altered his public persona and coaching style.

Their foundation work and philanthropy also indicate how much they enjoy giving back to the community as a team. Thus, while Nick’s enthusiasm for coaching is unquestionable, the prospect of going back to the sidelines involves more time away from home, something that may be an uphill sell for Miss Terry, who appreciates their life together, removed from the mayhem of football.