Nick Saban stepped down from his role as head coach at the University of Alabama. He retired from coaching but he did not actually retire from college football.
In fact, the Crimson Tide will continue to pay him a lot of money for a full-time job!
Saban, 72, made it clear that he would still be around the program in Tuscaloosa after hanging up the headset. His Ferrari was parked outside of the team facility shortly after Kalen DeBoer was announced as his successor. Alabama put him to work as a recruiter during the spring game back in April.
It was not pro bono.
The greatest coach of all-time is going to take a pay cut of more than $10 million. However, Saban is still getting paid more than eight times the average American’s annual salary, as listed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor. He will make $41,666.67 per month.
According to payroll documents obtained by the Tuscaloosa News, the University of Alabama is going to pay Nick Saban $500,000.04 per year for a new role that officially began on March 1. The salary is attached to a 40-hour work week.
His formal title changes from “head coach” to “professional.” Athletic director Greg Byrne previously described his role as an “adviser.” His office also moves from the Mal Moore Athletic Facility to Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Although specific details of Saban’s new position with the Crimson Tide are not public, it sounds like he is just going to be around. If a recruit wants to chat, he’s there. If DeBoer needs to talk through a game plan for an SEC opponent, he’s there.
Alabama will pay him nicely to hang around the program. And that is in addition to whatever ESPN is paying Saban to be on College GameDay each Saturday in the fall!