Terry Saban, also known as Miss Terry and the wife of longtime Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban, had her thoughts on her husband’s retirement revealed this week. While discussing his decision on the popular podcast The Pivot, Nick Saban shared what his wife told him before he officially stepped away from coaching college football.
Saban is widely regarded as one of the most successful coaches in college football history. He is a seven-time national champion and has won the SEC Championship 11 times. However, he announced his retirement in early 2024 and has since transitioned into an analyst role with ESPN, covering the college football season and other events.
What Was Miss Terry Message To Nick Saban?
Speaking on The Pivot Podcast, it was detailed what Terry Saban told her husband about retirement.
“… she said, ‘It’s always about relationships, but now it’s about how much money you’re going to pay them’, so that was one of the things that she hated, that she wasn’t developing relationships with the players and having them over,” Saban revealed.
Over the past few seasons, college football—and college sports in general—has undergone a massive transformation. With the rise of the transfer portal, more aggressive recruiting techniques, and name, image, and likeness (NIL) payments, the sport has shifted closer to a professional model than ever before.
Miss Terry’s words reflect this evolution and highlight a departure from the old-school approach to running a college football program.
KEEP READING: Saban Makes Eye-Catching Remarks About His Favorite Alabama Players
Her husband built his legacy in an era when players typically joined programs out of high school and remained for four years, without financial incentives or the ease of transferring at will.
The transfer portal has particularly changed the landscape, allowing players who aren’t seeing playing time to quickly enter the portal and move to another program.
This increased mobility has led to more player movement than ever before, making it harder for coaches to build long-term relationships with players and their families—a sentiment Miss Terry strongly emphasized.
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