Social media drags Nick Saban for speaking about NIL issues at White House

May 1, 2025; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban introduces President Donald Trump. Trump delivered a special commencement address to University of Alabama graduates at Coleman Coliseum. Graduation occurs over the weekend. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News/USA Today Network via Imagn Images

Nick Saban spoke to lawmakers at the White House on Friday and discussed the issues facing collegiate athletics in the NIL era.

“How much does anybody talk about getting an education anymore?” Saban asked. “Nobody talks about it at all, which is the most important thing any of these student athletes can do in terms of enhancing their future.”

Saban’s statement was met with a lot of push back on X. Here is what users had to say about Saban’s comments:

While I feel NIL and college is going the wrong way, this clip from Saban does NOT do it for me. He made millions while the players did not and that was better because of education???? I don’t see that nor comprehend how that’s the issue. Regulation is desperately needed but… https://t.co/kWcOTatyHZ

— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) March 7, 2026

Where’s the data to back up Saban’s claim that graduation rates have suffered because of the new transfer rules? Have grad rates actually gone down in a substantive way? He should enlighten us if he’s got statistics showing that. https://t.co/L3zQsK9Chj

— Joel D. Anderson 🆓 (@byjoelanderson) March 7, 2026

Stop crying, not all athletes going to the league. Allow them to make their money just like u did. https://t.co/dh9h1kkPLA

— tsportz (@buckeyesports01) March 7, 2026

The hypocrisy coming from Coach Saban is so damn ridiculous it’s sad to see him try to push this agenda smh … Yal don’t care about these kids in the slightest, yal only care about that money and who gets to benefit from it. Plain as day what’s happening here 👎🏽 https://t.co/ypa88Rwj0t

— Su’a Kristopher Cravens (@SuaKCravens) March 8, 2026

He got some fcking nerve
He paid players under the table the whole time he was at Alabama
Now it’s a problem when everyone can pay https://t.co/mKjZlMVcIC

— Kelvin Harris (@Ebonylifestyles) March 7, 2026

Claiming NIL & education are mutually exclusive is intellectually dishonest. Alabama was 1 of 205 schools that voted against allowing multi-year athletic scholarships toward four-year degrees.

You can’t champion education as the priority while voting to limit access to it. https://t.co/ONgcfle2fU

— Cory Yates (@CoryRAanalytics) March 7, 2026

I think three things are true

1. NIL culture has erased the bonding and pride of representing a school. Don’t think it’s a good societal thing the way it’s altering behaviors.

2. Kids 100% should be paid.

3. SEC schools aren’t “schools” in the way other places are and the one… https://t.co/yZk7oEoC1O

— Tyler Tomei (@TomeiTyler) March 7, 2026