Nick Saban retired same day he interviewed Alabama football staff candidates
There's nothing more fitting than for Nick Saban to be working on the day he tells his team he's retiring.
He was interviewing candidates for openings on the staff Wednesday morning, sources tell The Tuscaloosa News. Then later Wednesday before the work day was over, Saban told his players in a meeting that he is retiring.
He was also on a call with SEC coaches Zoom call on Wednesday, Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said.
Saban decided to step away after 17 seasons as coach of the Crimson Tide, having won six national championships, which ties Paul "Bear" Bryant for the most in Alabama history. Saban won the SEC West 10 times and the SEC Championship Game nine times. Saban spent about half a century in the coaching profession, winning seven national championships.
He was always known for his ferocious work ethic, never wasting a minute and always trying to better the program. That was true on his last day of work.
Saban seldom sat still. That even included when he was sitting; He often bounced one of his legs. So it only feels right that the day he shared the news of his retirement that Saban was doing anything but sitting still. He worked until the very end.
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Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men's basketball. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Nick Saban retires after conducting Alabama football staff interviews
