The term “living legend” gets thrown around a lot, but when it comes to Nick Saban, it fits like a glove. The Darth Vader of CFB! On the biggest stage of college football, ESPN’s GameDay set the scene for a moment that’ll go down in history. Before the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes locked horns in the Cotton Bowl Classic, Pat McAfee stole the show. With his trademark flair, McAfee surprised the GOAT by presenting him with a special tribute.

Pat McAfee pulled off the ultimate GameDay move, surprising Nick Saban after the GOAT literally got announced as the first 2025 College Football Hall of Fame inductee. “Coach, we gotta have you take this game ba-l… this is a surprise to you. You are the first one getting announced,” McAfee said, hyping up the moment before dropping some heartfelt words: “Easiest folk in history… how you represent the sport, how you’ve done on this particular program, talking for the sport that you’ve committed your entire life to, and congratulations, coach. Thank you, man.”

Nick Saban, ever the humble legend, responded: “Any time anything like this happens, it’s because you had a lot of great people in your organization.” Classic Saban—giving credit like a boss. Moments like this? Straight-up iconic. Then Nick Saban continued to praise bombs to his day 1s and his peers, “A lot of great players, great coaches, and support staff. They made a great team. I was happy to drive the bus, but we had some great people on it.” Spoken like a true maestro of the sidelines.

The announcement of Saban as the first inductee into the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame class came just a year after he stepped down as Alabama’s head coach. January. 10, 2024: Saban hangs up his OG headset. Jan. 10, 2025: The GOAT punches his ticket to the Hall of Fame. 1 year, 2 epic mic drops? Mentally insane.

From his early days at Toledo in 1990 to building an empire at Tuscaloosa, Saban’s journey has been nothing short of pure cinematic. Starting with a humble 7-6 record in his debut season at Alabama, he turned the program into a machine, stacking up double-digit win seasons and 6 national championships like pancakes at a tailgate.

Nick Saban’s legendary accolades at Bama and coaching impact

Nobody—and we mean nobody—can flex a coaching résumé like Nick Saban. This man’s career at Alabama is the stuff of legends. Since taking the reins on January 3, 2007, Saban’s numbers are absolutely bonkers. Over 17 seasons: The Alabama Jones has a career record of 201-29. That’s diabolically mental; that’s like 87.4% win rate.

At home, Nick Saban’s 108-9. Walking into Bryant-Denny and expecting to take dub is crazy delusional. Nick Saban went 117-18 against SEC hitters. And this one is crazy work and best work: 9-3 against #1 ranked teams. Think how insane that is. The only coach to win Natty in 3 different decades.

Oh, and let’s talk recruiting. Saban didn’t just win on the field—he dominated off it too. 9 #1 recruiting classes. 65 5-star players. Never, not once, signed a class ranked lower than 5th nationally. This man has turned signing day into his own personal holiday. And the coaching tree?

Saban’s coaching disciples are now leading some of the best programs in the game. Names like Kirby Smart (Georgia), Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Dan Lanning (Oregon), Mario Cristobal from the Miami Hurricanes, Curt Cignetti from Bloomington football, and Steve Sarkisian (Texas) all honed their craft and supremacy under his watch. Even NFL talent like Brian Daboll (New York Giants) cut their teeth in Saban’s ecosystem.

Saban’s success isn’t just about X’s and O’s; it’s about building systems, recruiting stars, and raising the bar for what’s possible in college football. His legacy isn’t just trophies—it’s a blueprint for greatness. Pat McAfee summed it up best: “Easiest folk in the history [safest choice and pick for HOF] “ Facts, Pat. Pure facts.