Just in case you were wondering whether Nick Saban’s retirement was just a joke, we have statements from the coach and his wife to confirm things.
Alabama issued a press release on Wednesday to announce Saban’s retirement after 17 seasons as the Crimson Tide’s football coach.
The press release contained a statement from Saban.
“The University of Alabama has been a very special place to Terry and me,” Saban said. “We have enjoyed every minute of our 17 years being the head coach at Alabama as well as becoming a part of the Tuscaloosa community. It is not just about how many games we won and lost, but it’s about the legacy and how we went about it. We always tried to do it the right way. The goal was always to help players create more value for their future, be the best player they could be and be more successful in life because they were part of the program. Hopefully, we have done that, and we will always consider Alabama our home.”
Saban’s wife Terry, best known as “Ms. Terry,” issued a statement on the Nick’s Kids Foundation Facebook page.
“It has been an incredible run these last 17 years at the University of Alabama and we take with us many amazing memories. We hope that the Saban legacy will be about helping others and making a positive difference in people’s lives as well as the winning tradition on the field,” Terry Saban wrote.
“Our Nick’s Kids Foundation will continue to help children, student, and teacher causes in the State of Alabama. The rules for the game of football may change, but the ‘process’ will never go out of style: hard work, discipline, the relentless pursuit of a worthy goal, not cutting corners, and doing things the right way for the sake of constant personal improvement, not for the scoreboard. Alabama will always feel like ‘Sweet Home’ to our family, and we’ll be cheering ‘Roll Tide’!”
Saban’s retirement comes out of nowhere as the 72-year-old had never given any hints that he was tiring as a head coach or ready to move aside at Alabama. But it’s clear from his and his wife’s statements that they are serious about walking away.
