Nick Saban reacts to Kalen DeBoer getting contract extension from Alabama

Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) and head coach Kalen DeBoer talk during a timeout in the first quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images

Nick Saban shared his reaction to Kalen DeBoer earning a seven-year contract extension while talking to media members at the Regions Tradition Celebrity Pro-Am on Wednesday.

“I think coaching is a competitive field, like playing is a competitive field,” Saban said. “I think Kalen has had a lot of opportunities, and I think if Alabama wanted to keep them, they needed to do what they needed to do to keep him. I’m happy he is the coach.”

DeBoer received an extension and a pay raise from the University of Alabama earlier this month. He was given a seven-year extension, and it will pay him $12.5 million annually.

The Alabama football head coach expressed how excited he was to earn the extension in a statement.

“My family and I would like to thank the Board of Trustees, Chancellor Trant, President Mohler, Director of Athletics Greg Byrne, our athletics administration and football staff, this community and the University for their continued support of Alabama Football,” said DeBoer. “We are excited about the opportunity to continue our time in Tuscaloosa with this contract extension. This University has become a special place to us, and I look forward to working to ensure that Alabama football remains at the forefront of college football. This program has a long history of success and an unmatched tradition that I was eager to be a part of two years ago, and I cannot wait to keep coaching our guys and bring more championships to Alabama.”

DeBoer will enter his third season as the Tide’s head coach in the fall.