For years, Nick Saban’s stoic, almost mechanical sideline demeanor made fans wonder if he was even human. Always composed, rarely smiling, and laser-focused on winning, Saban built a dynasty at Alabama with the emotional range of a concrete wall. Opposing fans joked he was engineered in a lab by the SEC. Even his own supporters occasionally questioned if the man behind the headset is really a human or not. Some even said he could be the devil himself.

And for one thing, Saban really doesn’t appreciate being compared to the devil. “It used to upset me,” he once said. “I would come and say to my wife, ‘I’m not like that at all. Why do these guys say I’m that way?’ And she would say, ‘You ever watch yourself in a press conference?’” Turns out, when you glower through a decade of media sessions, the devil jokes start to write themselves.

But for anyone still convinced Saban lacks a sense of humor or lightness, Kristen Saban just posted the ultimate rebuttal. In a Fourth of July Instagram story captioned “Family 4th ♥️🤍🩵,” she shared a video of her dad calmly riding a lawnmower inside the house, casually completing a lap like it was part of the floor plan. Just Nick Saban, unbothered, mowing his way across the living room like it was Bryant-Denny on a Saturday afternoon.

And if you zoom in a bit, you could see some drifting tire marks on the floor. Football might not be the only thing Saban’s good at. What’s up next? NASCAR?

The unexpected clip adds to the growing list of signs that Saban is easing into retirement with surprising ease and even joy. The image of college football’s most intense figure casually breaking every home appliance rule imaginable feels like a hard pivot but also kind of perfect.

For all the fire and fury that once fueled his dominance, Saban now seems content embracing the simple, silly moments. He may not be barking at referees anymore, but he’s proving that there’s life and even fun after football. The dynasty builder is still in command; just now it’s of family cookouts and living room laps.

Grandpa Nick Saban in full form

Retirement may have pulled Nick Saban off the sidelines, but it hasn’t dimmed his instinct to lead, guide, and coach. His grandson James Nickolas Setas just turned five, and the birthday festivities proved that even when the stakes are no longer national titles, Saban still brings the same energy. Kristen Saban’s Instagram lit up with proud mom posts, calling James “the joy of my life” and celebrating her “big boy” as he hit the milestone. But alongside all the birthday balloons and cake, it was Grandpa Nick’s low-key coaching moments that stood out at the bowling alley, where he gave pointers like it was game day.

Kristen captured the essence of it all with a perfect three-word caption: “Never not coaching.” Whether it was backyard games or guiding a five-year-old on the perfect bowling stance, Saban’s leadership DNA was on full display, just with a little more laughter and a lot less shouting.

Watching him instruct his grandkids in that setting, you can’t help but smile at the contrast. It’s the same Saban that once barked plays from the sideline, now patiently teaching hand placement on a bowling ball to a child wearing Velcro shoes.