Alabama football coach Nick Saban is retiring after 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide, CBS Sports reported.
Saban has won seven national titles in his coaching career, the most recent in 2020.
Saban’s retirement was first reported by ESPN. Sources later confirmed to 247sports’ Matt Zenitz that Saban informed Alabama of his decision on Wednesday.
The Crimson Tide were eliminated from the 2023 College Football Playoff with a 27-20 overtime loss to the eventual national champion Michigan Wolverines in a semifinal game.
Saban’s seven national titles are the most won by any college football coach. He is also tied with legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant for most titles in Crimson Tide history, with six.
After coaching stints with both the NFL and several other college teams, the first of Saban’s titles came in 2003 with Louisiana State University, where he was head coach from 2000-2004. Following the 2004 season, a 9-3 campaign that included a 30-25 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Capital One Bowl, Saban left LSU to coach the Miami Dolphins in the NFL.
Saban coached the Dolphins for just two seasons, going 9-7 in 2005 but managing just six wins in 2006 — missing the playoffs both years. Saban left the Dolphins at the end of the 2006 season to become Alabama’s head football coach.
In his 17 years helming the Crimson Tide, Saban built a football powerhouse, winning the national title in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2020. He also amassed 9 SEC titles at Alabama and coached four Heisman Trophy winners.
