In 2024, Kalen DeBoer took on the impossible job—replacing the GOAT, Nick Saban, as Alabama’s head coach. Big shoes? More like Shaq-sized boots. The Tide finished 9-4, marking their first season without double-digit wins since 2007. A step back? Sure. But considering the transition, it wasn’t exactly a disaster (to some extent). Still, Paul Finebaum, the self-appointed king of SEC hot takes, had other ideas.

Paul Finebaum has never been shy about stirring the pot when it comes to Alabama football, and this time, he set the Bama nation on fire. Spring football is in full swing, and while the Tide prepares for Year 2 under DeBoer, Finebaum took to On3’s Andy & Ari podcast and decided to poke the bear. When asked who’s under more pressure in 2025—Auburn’s Hugh Freeze or DeBoer—Finebaum didn’t hesitate: “I think in some ways it’s really Kalen DeBoer. Hugh Freeze is still very well-liked by his constituency—he has people believing in him in spite of a fairly underwhelming two years.”

And then he kept going. On Alabama’s playoff expectations: “I think it’s the bare minimum,” Finebaum said of a CFP berth. “I’ve walked out, as you guys have, of national championship games under Nick Saban and it felt like a disastrous season because they didn’t win it all.” Then came the real shot: “Alabama fans are spoiled rotten, and they should be. They’ve had the greatest run that anybody’s had in a very, very long time. It’s understandable. I think the Playoff now kind of dumbs down the system and you’re in the SEC and 3 times go and you don’t, it feels like a mess.”

Now nobody’s arguing Alabama fans have high expectations, but calling them spoiled rotten like they didn’t just watch Saban build a dynasty from scratch? That’s a bold move. And Paul Finebaum is not just coming for DeBoer—he’s been on Jalen Milroe’s neck too.

Alabama insider Sidelines-Bama went straight for the jugular, calling out Finebaum for what they saw as blatant Milroe disrespect. They pointed out how the conversation on Andy & Ari quickly turned into a Jalen Milroe and Alabama quarterback hate-fest. The hosts started debating whether Alabama had won with worse QBs in the past, which led to the wildly unserious question: “Was Mac Jones that good?”

Mac Jones led one of the most dominant offenses in college football history, filled with DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, John Metchie. And now they’re trying to compare Milroe’s 2024 weapons to that loaded 2020 squad because he has freshman Ryan Williams? Look, it’s okay to agree: Jalen Milroe was a low-key disaster on throws. For the record, Milroe put up 2,844 passing yards, 16 TDs, 11 picks, and a 78.4 QBR in 2024. The man has literally sold Bama’s playoff chance against the Sooners at Norman. Still, Milroe low-key carried Alabama at times with his legs (20 rushing tuddies). But comparing based on his weapons to 2020 Mac Jones’ weapons? Straight-up disrespectful.

Bama nation cooks Paul Finebaum for his hateful take against Kalen DeBoer and Milroe

When Sidelines-Bama took to X to air out Finebaum’s latest slander, Alabama fans went DEFCON 1. The replies were straight-up barbecue mode. Fans started with, “Finebaum just says whatever will get people to talk. We’d all be better off ignoring him.” This is the classic Finebaum formula. Stir the pot, get reactions, rinse, repeat. Alabama fans see through it, but ignoring him? That’s easier said than done when he’s got a megaphone to SEC fans’ ears.

Another Bama fan tweeted, “Just Finebaum flapping his gums as usual.” Translation: This ain’t new. Finebaum has made a career out of pushing Alabama’s buttons. If Bama won the national championship, he’d probably say DeBoer underachieved by not winning two in one season. Finebaum ain’t sugarcoating it—he says Bama’s clout ain’t what it used to be under DeBoer. In his words, “The perception of Alabama right now is diminished,” meaning the Tide ain’t looking as feared as they once were.

One user tweeted, “Why does anyone care what that man has to say about anything!? I mean who gives AFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.” The rage is real. Look, Paul Finebaum’s takes hit Alabama fans like those annoying YouTube ads you can’t skip. Infuriating, but they somehow still keep watching.

This user kept it real on Paul Finebaum’s hypocrisy: “I’ll never understand how or why people still listen to Finebaum. Dude is a damn clown.” Say what you will about Finebaum, but the man knows how to work an audience. But for Bama fans? He’s basically the villain in a WWE script at this point.

Ding! We have a winner: “Clickbait Paul… trying to stir s–t up to get Bama fans back.” Paul Finebaum knows Alabama fans are his biggest, most engaged audience. When Saban was running the show, he’d throw a few light jabs. But now? He’s swinging for the fences, knowing Bama Nation will always react.

Look, Alabama football is in a new era. The Saban years set an impossible standard, and it’s going to take time for DeBoer to put his stamp on the program. The 9-4 season wasn’t ideal nor nowhere close to Bama’s standard, but let’s be real—half the teams in college football would kill for that record. As for Jalen Milroe, the disrespect is crazy. The guy low-key balled out, and comparing him to Mac Jones without acknowledging the talent gap in their supporting casts is just lazy analysis.

Paul Finebaum? He’s just doing what Finebaum does—poking Alabama fans with a stick and watching the chaos unfold. The question is: Will Bama Nation ever stop giving him the reaction he wants? Probably not. And that’s why he’ll keep talking. With Jalen Milroe off to NFL, Kalen DeBoer got the whole 2025 season ahead of him. And if Kalen DeBoer shuts the haters up on the field, Finebaum’s takes will age real poorly. If not, boy, there’s no point in defending Kalen DeBoer and Bama.