How much money did Nick Saban make throughout his career coaching Alabama?

Legendary college football coach Nick Saban has announced his retirement after a long and successful career. Saban, who is 72 years old, has been the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide since 2007 and has led the team to an incredible run of success, including six national championships in the last 17 seasons. His announcement comes just nine days after Alabama’s semi-final loss to Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

Despite the loss, Saban described the season as “one of the most amazing seasons in Alabama football history.” However, his retirement marks the end of an era and the closing of what many consider the most dominant stretch in college football history.

Saban’s coaching prowess extended beyond the football field, as he could adapt brilliantly to the changing landscape of college football. This included successfully navigating the introduction of the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) era and the transfer portal. Saban’s retirement is somewhat surprising but aligns with his accomplishments and ability to adapt to the evolving nature of the sport.

During the season, Saban’s demeanor noticeably shifted because it seemed to take great satisfaction in coaching a team that had room for growth; despite the pressure and expectations that come with Alabama’s football dynasty, Saban’s relentless drive and ability to keep his team focused were evident.

How much he cashed in during his stay with Crimson Tide?

Nick Saban retired as arguably the greatest college football coach of all time. Unsurprisingly, the former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach had the salary and net worth to match as one of the highest paid in college football.

Alabama offered Nick Saban, the most successful coach in college football, an eight-year contract extension in August 2022, which would have taken him through the 2029 college football season if he hadn’t retired after the 2023 campaign. For the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Saban’s talent fee was $9,595,000, making his salary $10.7 million. If Saban had continued as the Alabama head coach in 2024, his talent fee would have increased by $400,000 yearly, resulting in a minimum salary of $11.1 million.

Saban’s net worth at the time of his retirement was $93.2 million, earned through a contract extension and salary boost in 2022. He earned $13,142,857 for each national title he delivered for the Crimson Tide. His last contract included a rewards package that could add up to $1.1 million to his base salary. Winning the SEC Championship earned him $125,000 while winning the National Championship could have added $800,000. Saban also received a $100,000 salary boost if the Crimson Tide’s graduation rate was among the top four SEC teams.

He was a master businessman, and every February, his salary was renegotiated with the University of Alabama board if it fell below the average of the five highest-paid coaches in College Football.