Four words were all it took. That and a clip of Alabama’s iconic walkout with Nick Saban at the helm. Add in a little spice from the brewing rumors. And you’ve got a horde of college football fans, particularly Alabama, staring at a hopeful horizon on the return of the GOAT. Imagine Nick Saban lighting up Alabama’s sidelines once more! But for better or worse, that just might not be the case – ever again. Hear it from his daughter, Kristen Saban, herself. 

“Damn I miss this.” That’s what Kristen wrote on her post featuring Nick Saban leading out one of the best teams in the nation. The spark lit by her nostalgic Instagram story had fans dreaming of one more run and one more possible championship run. But just as fast as the fire caught, she doused it in a typical Saban fashion with style, sass, and brutal clarity. “Apparently, some of yall feel trolled by my last story of nick’s walkout… he’s not coming back to coaching, hate to break it to you 😂 you had your time,” she wrote in her latest IG story on July 17 while vibing to The Themesters ‘Frolic’ rocking black shades and a chill smile. 

For all the speculation happening, there’s a rumor that’s to be blamed for Nick Saban’s potential return to coaching. It blew up after former Alabama QB and current CFB analyst Greg McElroy dropped a juicy take on WJOX radio. “This is a little bit out of left field, but the question was asked of me… a very much in the know person that I have a lot of respect for and have spent a lot of time around and just really, really admire,” he said. “They seem to think Nick Saban’s not done coaching. I had a similar reaction. He’s pretty adamant that he thinks Nick Saban will be coaching again… Look, if it wasn’t someone notable, I’d never say a word.” 

The statement fed the lions, and suddenly, every hallway in Atlanta buzzed with hypotheticals. Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin chimed in, saying, “I don’t think he’s done.” Georgia’s Kirby Smart joked about Nick Saban’s wife, Terry Saban, being the real decision maker. It was a SEC-level soap opera. But Kristen, unfazed, played spoiler to the fantasy with a mic-drop reality check. Still, while he may not be planning a coaching comeback, he’s never really left Tuscaloosa. 

The Nick Saban shadow still looms

Even in retirement, Nick Saban casts a silhouette over the SEC like Bryant-Denny on a fall evening. You don’t win seven national championships without leaving a gravitational pull behind. And that gravitational pull is still real in Tuscaloosa. He may not be on the headset anymore, but his fingerprints are all over Alabama’s dominance. The Tide are leading the nation in five-star commitments for the 2026 class with four already locked in. And his influence on the recruitment trail isn’t denied.

And let’s not forget, Nick Saban is now an ESPN College GameDay analyst, still delivering insight, shaping narratives, still living in the heart of the game. Kalen DeBoer, now steering Alabama, took the high road for his predecessor, saying, “He’s one of the greatest to ever do it. So he’s earned the right to do what he wants. I think the best part of what Coach Saban is doing right now is that he’s still involved in the game. He’s growing the game.” For now, Nick Saban seems content where he is. But if history’s taught us anything, it’s to never say never. Coaching legends don’t retire, they linger and hover. 

But if Kristen Saban’s word holds weight, and it certainly does, the Crimson Tide’s sideline belongs to Kalen DeBoer now.