Report: Nick Saban Nearly Left Alabama For Surprising Gig In 2014

Alabama head coach Nick Saban has been adamant that he’s not currently thinking about retirement. But perhaps that wasn’t always the case.

According to a new book by John Talty called “The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban,” the Alabama coach very nearly left his longtime post to join ESPN in 2014.

The New York Post provided some details from the book:

“When the season ended, Saban is said to have “empowered (media agent Nick) Khan to reach out to ESPN with the message Saban was thinking about the next chapter in his career and considering whether media should be a part of that.”

Khan, now the co-CEO of WWE, then apparently set up a meeting in Pasadena, Calif., with Saban, his coaching agent, Jimmy Sexton (also of CAA), and Syracuse’s Athletics Director John Wildhack, who was then a senior executive at ESPN.

Saban is said to have “zeroed in” on the possibility of joining ESPN’s “College GameDay,” and “quizzed” Wildhack on a number of questions about life at ESPN, organizational structure and if it was like “working on a team” — a characteristic that was of much importance to Saban.”

Sports media news from @JTalty's new book: After the Kick-Six game, Nick Saban considered leaving Alabama for ESPN https://t.co/rjnqyD5qPq

— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) July 25, 2022

Nick Saban recently went viral after slamming rival college football coaches for allegedly telling recruits that he plans on retiring soon.

“Why don’t you ask them how they know I’m going to retire? When all I think about is what am I going to do if I retire. I love what I’m doing now so how am I going to be happy not doing it,” Saban said last week.

For now, Nick Saban is intent on winning more championships at Alabama. But perhaps a career in media is waiting for him whenever he does decide to call it quits.

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