Saban, Alabama players provide thoughts on recent protests
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Despite his best attempt to deny it, Nick Saban is more than “just a football coach.” As the highest-paid public employee of the state, his opinion matters. That goes for issues both on and off the field.
To no surprise, Saban was questioned Monday about the political protests that swept across the NFL over the weekend. Several teams united to show protest during the national anthem Sunday with some locking arms and others taking a knee. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans all elected to remain in their locker rooms during the anthem.
The protests followed comments President Donald Trump made Friday while at a political rally for Sen. Luther Strange in Huntsville, Ala. During a speech, the president encouraged NFL owners to punish any player who “disrespects our flag,” stating they should “get that son of a b**** off the field.”
"I'm just a football coach. I don't keep up with all that stuff as much as maybe everybody else does, especially during the season, especially when we're playing games," Saban said. "To me, some of the things that we do in our country when I grew up, they were unifying events and it's a little painful to see that those things are not so right now. But I also respect everyone's rights not to be censored in terms of the way they express their beliefs.
"I'm just a coach. I don't have the answers to all the questions. I know that most good things come out of love and respect and compassion and unifying people. Most bad things come out of hate and dislike and deceit. Hopefully, we can focus on the above and not the below."
Alabama doesn’t have to worry about similar pregame situations as college teams generally don’t take the field until after the national anthem. However, that doesn’t mean the Crimson Tide’s players don’t have an opinion on the matter.
“I support what they’re doing because I understand and everything,” defensive lineman Anfernee Jennings said. “As far as, we’re not even out there when they’re doing the national anthem. But I support everything they’re doing and what they’re standing for.”
Other Alabama players were not as inclined to comment.
“I really don’t have any thoughts,” cornerback Anthony Averett said. “I don’t really know too much about it. But I was really just watching the games, so that’s all I know about it."
Running back Damien Harris, who often voices his political opinions on social media, was also questioned but stated, “I don’t really think now is the time to discuss that.” Harris said the team is more focused on its game against Ole Miss on Saturday where No. 1 Alabama will look to remain unbeaten on the season.
“Like I said, we’re not really focused on what’s going on outside of our team, we’re just focusing on continuing to play great," Harris said. "We’re playing another great opponent this week, and we’re getting ready for them.”
Harris, who plans to take his offensive line out to dinner after they helped block for him during a career-best 151-yard performance last week, said Alabama players have done a good job of coming together no matter their political stances or socioeconomic differences. Sure, players talk about politics from time to time, but according to Harris “not as much as we talk about what’s going on on the field.”
Instead, Alabama players have come together as a family in the locker room, uniting on one common goal — to win.
“It doesn’t matter what color, what background, it doesn’t matter where you come from. We’re trying to accomplish one goal,” Jennings said. “That’s where brotherhood comes in. So we don’t even see any of that.”
