Nick Saban pays heartfelt tribute to Pat McAfee for helping him overcome camera shyness: "You've made it a lot easier for me"
Former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban has been booked since the 2024 college football season began with his role on ESPN's beloved pregame show, College GameDay. Saban's analysis has been well-received by college football fans.
The show released footage from a break where Saban's co-panelist, Pat McAfee, is shown dancing while the former Alabama coach stares at him motionless.
The clip brought mixed reactions from college football fans, and during Friday's "The Pat McAfee Show," Saban finally addressed the awkward interaction between himself and McAfee, praising the charismatic analyst.
Saban credited McAfee with helping him settle into his role on the show.
"You've (Pat McAfee) made it a lot easier on me, though," Saban said. "Sitting by you makes it easier for me, because I'm less anxious because you are very aggressive in whatever we're talking about and whatever we're doing. I didn't know exactly what word to use there.
"Learning the ropes. Not in terms of having information that you want to put out there -- but when to say it, how to say it, how to respect the people around you, how to have the conversation, how to fit with everybody. Because we're a team.
"Every team, you have to be able to fit into your role on that team, which I'm really conscious about trying to do."
Saban even made a cheeky comment about Pat McAfee's dancing which led to the viral clip.
"I was just surprised that you were doing what you were doing, for whatever reason. I wasn't thinking that," Saban said. "I'm thinking about when you're gonna ask me to dance."
With Nick Saban on the panel, College GameDay had its highest-rated show since 2016 for its visit to College Station for the Texas A&M Aggies and Notre Dame Fighting Irish clash.
Nick Saban to be honored by Alabama
Nick Saban is an Alabama legend and the program has wasted no time in honoring him. After naming the field inside Bryant-Denny after him, the Crimson Tide will further honor the retired coach with a ceremony on 7 Sept.
A ceremony will be held at the head of the Walk of Champions on University Boulevard to unveil the stadium signage honoring his achievements with the program.
Nick Saban attended his successor coach Kalen DeBoer's first official game in the Crimson Tide's 63-0 rout of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, showing that his promise to stick around will be honored.