Nick Saban isn’t done making an impact on the college football world. After spending decades shaping and enhancing the Alabama legacy, the legendary head coach stepped down and transitioned to a role as a broadcaster on College Game Day. However, this isn’t the end of his journey. At 73 years old, Saban is actively advocating for reform in NIL that has disrupted the college football transfer portal culture. Recently, Saban’s meeting with former President Donald Trump has sparked discussions online about potential executive intervention in college sports. Amidst all these serious discussions and ambitious visions, Saban also makes it a point to enjoy quality time with his family, especially with his youngest grandchild, James, the five-year-old son of his daughter, Kristen Saban.

Forget the regular image of Coach Saban as being the most poker-faced college football coach you have ever seen. Saban in the field and Saban beyond the field are two different humans altogether. Saban and his wife, Miss Terry, didn’t have any biological children in their 50 years of married life. But that didn’t mean they let it get in their way of tasting parenthood. The couple adopted Nicholas and Kristen and built a wonderful family riddled with love, light, and laughter. Their kids have eventually tied the knot with their respective life partners. But the sweetest part of life hit the Alabama mogul when he became a grandfather of three. Life took a U-turn as he was exposed to the polar opposite of what he nailed on the field.

Saban has been blessed with two granddaughters (Nicholas’ daughter and Kristen’s firstborn, Amelie) and one grandson, James. The latter one, for the obvious reason, currently enjoys the most attention in the family. His mom carefully records every tiny activity of his in the drawing room or playground. But now, it’s time for the toddler to fly higher from the preschool yard.

James Nickolas Setas, the cute, small, gentle kid who turned just five on April 27th, is all ready to sign up for a bigger classroom. He has graduated from preschool and had a blast. Momma Saban posted a photo of the old uniform for the last time and wrote, “Kindergarten, here we come! 🐾🎓👨🏼‍🎓.”The album includes a handful of other photos of James and his friends enjoying the last day of their pre-school year before going their separate ways.

It was just yesterday when Kristen gave birth to an angel, her second baby. The 27-year-old event planner used to flood her feed with the little larks of her baby. Now, Jamie is slowly and steadily turning into a big boy, transitioning from preschool to nursery. Time really flies, and so does the memory.

Nick Saban, who’s looking to co-chair the Residential College Sports Commission to study college football more avidly, must be so proud as a grandpa. Why wouldn’t he be? After all, baby James had set life into a different motion for the ever-serious head coach.

Nick Saban comes closer to his softer side with grandson Jamie 

Nick Saban has often faced criticism for his controlling nature. His time in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins was cut short due to his extremely meticulous coaching style. Players grew frustrated with his perfectionism and his intense focus on even the smallest details, which sometimes made him seem obsessive.

A very eccentrically intriguing report revealed that the less the legendary head coach used to smile, the better they scored that season. In 2020, Saban smiled the least, and it culminated in an undefeated season and a national championship. From a hard-headed, non-smiling guy to a playful grandpa, the innocence of a five-year-old has changed his world.

“He’s great with Jamie. I think it’s fun for him because I have a niece. She’s 10 years old, and she was the first grandchild and she was a girl, but now that we have James, he’s the boy, and my dad can play, you know,. Kristen explained why Jamie was the special one to bring his grandpa to his soppy side. “He plays ball with him in the driveway and throws a ball with him and does kind of all the boy stuff. So that’s kind of softened him up a little bit, in my opinion. And I think he really, really enjoys it.” Saban continues to nurture both sides of him on and off the field, and we continue to witness an era in college football like no other.