Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Nick Saban To Make $500K Annually in Alabama Advisory Role

  • Saban also joined ESPN as an analyst after retiring.
  • Multiple Hall of Fame coaches accepted similar gigs to Saban’s upon retirement.
Dec 30, 2023; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban during Rose Bowl media day at Rose Bowl Stadium.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Saban won’t be on Alabama’s sidelines this season, but that doesn’t mean he’s off the school’s payroll. 

In a post-retirement advisory role, the legendary coach will make $500,000 a year from the program he led to six national championships. The news was first reported by the Tuscaloosa News, which obtained the information through a public records request. Saban will make $41,666 a month off 40-hour work weeks. 

Saban retired after the 2023 season, his 17th season at Alabama, in which he turned the Crimson Tide into a juggernaut. At the time of his retirement, Saban was making over $9 million per season, but the base salary was just over $300,000 because of the contract’s structure. 

Shortly after retiring, Saban joined ESPN as a college football analyst and participated in the network’s NFL draft coverage. He will be part of the College GameDay crew in the fall, too.  He also appeared on Capitol Hill in March as part of a roundtable discussion with senators about the current landscape in college sports. 

Saban is far from the first coach to continue collecting checks after retiring from the school he led to glory. Former college basketball coaches Jay Wright (Villanova) and Mike Krzyzewski (Duke) are among the fellow legends to take ambassador roles with the university immediately upon retiring. Krzyzewski made nearly $9 million from Duke in 2023, a year after he retired from coaching the Blue Devils.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NCAA golf chaampionships

NCAA Golf Hosts Ready to Bid on Championship Extension

The North Course at Omni La Costa in Carlsbad has hosted for three years.

Josh Allen Tops NFLPA’s Top-50 Player Sales List

Saquon Barkley previously held the top spot. 

NFL Faces Renewed Congressional Attack Over Media Pricing, Access

Federal scrutiny rises further around the league’s media policies.

Big Ten, SEC Schools Call for Texas Tech Boycott After Sorsby Ruling

Georgia and Nebraska have already decided to boycott Texas Tech.

Featured Today

Ai sports slop

How Sports Became Ground Zero for AI Slop

The category is the perfect breeding ground for AI content churn.
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group A - Germany v Luxembourg - Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany - October 10, 2025 Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann
June 4, 2026

‘Weird Corners of the World’: How to Find a World Cup Coach

National associations look for a winning record—and also hope for serendipity.
June 3, 2026

The Elite High Schools Hosting World Cup Teams

Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Switzerland chose schools as their tournament base camps.
Frances Cabral-Delaney
May 29, 2026

How Arsenal Fandom Went ‘Manic’

“People do not become Arsenal fans because it’s easy,” says Zohran Mamdani.
Nov 20, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy watches play against the Utah Mammoth during the third period at Delta Center.

Former Golden Knights Coach Cassidy: ‘I Want to Go to Work’

The former Stanley Cup winner says the current restriction is “upsetting.”
Sponsored

Volpe Brings Style to the Bronx

With the New York Yankees & Anthony Volpe, Charles Tyrwhitt is bringing its decades-long playbook to one of sports’ biggest stages.
May 22, 2026

Close’s New UCLA Contract Has Discounted WNBA Buyout Clause

Close has been the UCLA women’s basketball head coach since 2011.
Sponsored

World Cup Betting Preview: Big Kickoff in USA, Canada, and Mexico

A look at the key betting storylines with BetMGM heading into the tournament, including favorites, dark horses, and top scorer odds.
Sponsored

How Thrivent and Athletes for Hope Are Leading With Purpose

Meet those making a difference as Thrivent and Athletes for Hope spotlight community impact.
April 14, 2026

Javier Mascherano Leaves Messi, Miami in Shock Departure

Mascherano won the MLS Cup in his first season last year.
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Giants coach John Harbaugh speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.
March 30, 2026

Amid Team Ownership in Flux, Harbaugh Aims for Normalcy

The newly hired head coach eyes a Bears-type turnaround.
March 5, 2026

Mark DeRosa Is Still Baseball’s Swiss Army Knife

DeRosa is the sport’s utility player both on the field and off.