Former Alabama player says person ‘in the know’ believes Saban will return to coaching

Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Former Alabama quarterback, Greg McElroy feels there is reason to believe Nick Saban could return to football to coach.

“A very much in the know person that I have a lot of respect for and have spent a lot of time around, and just really, really admire, they seem to think Nick Saban is not done coaching,” McElroy said Monday morning on WJOX radio’s “Mac and Cube” show.

After that, McElroy said he never would have brought this topic up if it wasn’t for somebody notable.

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum disagreed with the idea of Saban returning to the gridiron.

“He had a better situation at Alabama the day he left than he’ll have anywhere he goes, let’s say next year,” Finebaum said. ‘I don’t know if it’s college or pros. Could he be talked into something in the NFL? I don’t know how, because I don’t think that itch burns anymore either, but my opinion is Nick Saban is done in coaching.”

Although McElroy dropped this bombshell on his own radio show, he later went on ESPN and said he is not quite ready to believe in the idea of Saban returning to coaching.

“You want my personal opinion? I think he’s done,” McElroy said. “I’d be shocked [if he came back]. … There are people connect to the sports world that think he’s not done. Now, interpret that however you will. People that would be somewhat knowledgeable about something like this, yes.”

The House v NCAA settlement could have something to do with Saban contemplating a return to coaching at the college level. In his last seasons as Alabama’s head coach, Saban wished that the name, image and likeness era of collegiate sports would have some sort of structure or guidelines, and now there is.

Saban, who turns 74 in October, is currently a part of ESPN’s College Gameday and won an Emmy in his first year. If he returned to coaching, he would be the oldest coach in collegiate football.

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