CFB world roasts $70M worth Nick Saban for polarizing views on NIL: “Sounds like he mad them Ni*gas want they bread”

Nick Saban's retirement in January created an eruption in the world of college football. The former Alabama coach commented on the NIL and how it affected student-athletes in their game in an ESPN story published on Wednesday.

In the ESPN story, Saban said he thought that it was the money and potential NIL deals that drove student-athletes to play:

"I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80% of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I'm going to play because they're thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?"

The $70 million-worth (as per Clutch Points) coach then clarified that the football program at Alabama was built to create opportunities in the NFL, develop personal skills and obtain academic success. However, he thought that players only paid attention to the fiscal aspect of the sport.

"So, I'm saying to myself, 'Maybe this doesn't work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it's all about how much money can I make as a college player?'" Saban said. "I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years."

These comments elicited mixed reactions from college football fans. Some believed Nick Saban did not support players inking deals using their image and likeness. Others thought that NIL deals were "ruining" the game.

Image Credit: Bleacher Report's Instagram post

Rose Bowl loss contributed to Nick Saban's retirement decision

Nick Saban said part of the reason behind his retirement was his team's 27-20 Rose Bowl loss to Michigan in the College Football Playoff in January. With Saban retiring less than two weeks after the loss, the game proved to be the final one of Saban's coaching career.

Saban told ESPN that the way some players reacted after the loss contributed to his retirement decision.

"I want to be clear that wasn't the reason, but some of those events certainly contributed," Saban said. "I was really disappointed in the way that the players acted after the game. You gotta win with class. You gotta lose with class.

"We had our opportunities to win the game and we didn't do it, and then showing your ass and being frustrated and throwing helmets and doing that stuff ... that's not who we are and what we've promoted in our program."

Nick Saban retired as the most celebrated coach in college football history. His teams won seven national titles, six at Alabama, which he turned into one of the best teams in the College Football Playoff era.