David Pollack 'not surprised' by reports of Nick Saban possibly returning to coaching

As SEC Media Days got underway this week, the big story came on Radio Row. Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy mentioned on his show he heard from someone “very much in the know” that Nick Saban was considering a return to coaching – and the reactions poured in from there.

Coaches and media alike pondered the question of whether Saban could be returning to the sidelines. Some were on board with the idea while others didn’t necessarily think the legendary coach would come back after a year away.

To David Pollack, it wouldn’t necessarily be surprising if Saban has the urge to coach some more considering his retirement in the middle of the NIL era. Couple in McElroy as the one who mentioned it, and he wondered if there was some merit to the idea the GOAT misses the sidelines.

“I found it interesting,” Pollack said on his See Ball Get Ball podcast. “I think Nick has been very forward about – I think Nick would love to coach and would still be coaching if it wasn’t for this era and how much uncertainty there was and how much the rules are not really clearly defined and they don’t know what they’re doing a lot of times and there’s not a lot of systems in place that help him to be Nick.

“I’m not surprised that I think there’d be something left in there, but I mean, everybody’s got to hang it up at some point. He’s not a young guy anymore. He’s still very good and on top of it. It’s an interesting comment. Obviously, Greg knows him from being with him and is friends with him. So you definitely take it and say that there could be validity to it. If Greg said it, I’m inclined to believe it.”

McElroy’s comments quickly made their way around SEC Media Days as coaches and media reacted to the idea Saban could return. Lane Kiffin suggested the NFL could be a good fit for him while others such as Kirby Smart joked Miss Terry would be the one to make that final call.

To current Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, though, Saban has “earned the right to do what he wants,” given his achievements. But Saban’s daughter Kristen addressed the rumors in a Thursday Instagram post, summing up what her dad’s plans might be.

“Apparently some of y’all feel trolled by my last story of Nick’s walkout,” Kristen Saban wrote on her Instagram story. “He’s not coming back to coaching hate to break it to you. You had your time.”