Former NFL player calls out Nick Saban’s $93 million contract after former Alabama coach pinpoints NIL’s flaws

Nick Saban, the legendary Alabama Crimson Tide coach, is once again on the NIL-bashing bandwagon. During an appearance on ‘The Pat McAfee Show,’ Saban declared that the current system is "unsustainable" and not in players' best interest.

Speaking on Jason Whitlock’s 'Fearless' podcast, T.J. Moe, a former NFL wide receiver, fired back and criticized Saban’s timing.

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“Pretty convenient for Nick Saban to have all these ideas now that he's out of coaching. Pretty convenient when he signed eight year, $93 million contract to coach, there's no coaching salary cap. Boise State can't afford to pay their guys $12 million a year..."

Moe continued, "These five schools can all get the best coaches and pay them whatever they want no salary cap talk there, and the same five schools win the national championship every year. But now that we can start paying some guys at different levels, now we really need to put Nick Sabin in charge,” pointing out disparities in coaching salaries compared to NIL rules.

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Meanwhile, Steve Kim, another podcast contributor alongside Whitlock, seconded Saban’s stance, proposing that NIL deals be withheld until players complete their first year.

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What did Nick Saban say on NIL?

Saban went ballistic when talking about NIL and the state of college football. Speaking on ‘The Pivot Podcast,’ the former Alabama coach admitted that if given the choice today, he’d prefer coaching in the NFL over college football.

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“I love coaching pro ball,” Saban said. “If I was going to coach today, based on circumstances in college and the NFL, I would coach in the NFL because all those things in college have changed.” [49:00]

He is concerned over how NIL has shifted priorities. “It used to be you went to college to develop value for your future. Now, people go to college to see how much money they can make.”

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Saban also criticized the lack of structure, pointing to players acting like "free agents twice a year." Since NIL and transfer portal changes began in 2021, college athletes enjoy more freedom, but many share Saban’s concerns about maintaining the sport’s integrity.

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