Nick Saban is close to having $1 billion worth of NFL players as part of his legacy! Yes, you heard it right. The legendary Nick Saban stunned everyone when he called it quits earlier this year. After a dynasty-building 16 years at Alabama, complete with six national titles and nine SEC crowns, his retirement was a huge loss for college football. Now a new feat of his former players is speaking more about his worth.

It was reported on August 7th that former Crimson Tide players have signed a whopping $915 million in off-season NFL contracts this year. Alabama football’s official Instagram account celebrated this news with a post that read, “give em they money 🤌💵,” featuring a cool graphic of all the ex-Tide stars. It looks like Nick Saban’s decades-long legacy speaks for itself via the poster. Even former Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson Sr., now with the Cardinals, gave his thumbs up to the post, commenting, “Best in the business.”

Now, this year alone, the Crimson Tide has produced three first-round picks, including big names like Terrion Arnold, JC Latham, and Dallas Turner. In that, ex-Alabama tackle Latham has signed a $26.04 million fully guaranteed four-year contract. Well, in total, ten Alabama players were drafted this year and you can just imagine the millions.

While all the newbies are making waves, it’s also one of their veteran quarterbacks from 2019 who is grabbing attention. After all, he contributes a massive portion to the billions’ worth of legacy! 

Nick Saban’s quarterback sizzles in NFL

This year, the most talked-about former Bama star in the NFL is Tua Tagovailoa. The quarterback led Alabama’s 2017 championship and now with the Miami Dolphins; he is creating similar magic. He’s leading the Dolphins’ offense and looks like a real MVP now. Looks like a contract extension is a no-brainer in this case.

Last month, Tagovailoa inked a four-year deal worth a whopping $212.4 million. That’s a massive $53.1 million a year! Now you know where the billions’ worth of legacy comes from. This huge payday not only puts Tagovailoa in the big leagues of NFL salaries but also shines a spotlight on Saban’s knack for producing top-tier talents. Even Jets senior advisor Phil Savage adds to it, saying, “Alabama has always had the name, brand, recognition, the historical tradition.” Looks like Tagovailoa just boosted this brand image!

Now, Kalen DeBoer sure has big shoes to fill in Alabama. But with such a strong foundation that Nick Saban has left behind, it’s not tough after all. First, let’s see how he navigates the post-Saban era this year.