Nick Saban, the coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide, was one of the most influential coaches in the NCAA and recent reports suggest that he was also one of the wealthiest. The veteran coach announced his retirement from professional football last week after being with Alabama for 16 years. Such loyalty couldn’t have gone unrewarded and, as such, Saban was showered with riches.

The Alabama Crimson Tide had an impressive season last year. After demolishing all the teams in the SEC West division, Saban’s team made it to the 4th position in the CFP rankings. Alas! Their dreams of a national championship were dashed to the ground when the Michigan Wolverines beat them in the Rose Bowl by a score of 27-20. It was supposedly the final straw for Saban as he decided to throw his hat in the ring and leave coaching forever. While Harbaugh’s team managed to upstage that of Saban’s, his earnings are miles behind the former Alabama coach who is in a league of his own.

Nick Saban’s earnings supersede the likes of Harbaugh, DeBoer, and Steve Sarkisian

Post Saban’s retirement, it was revealed that Saban is the highest-paid coach in the current state of college football. The 72-year-old leads the list with a salary of $11.4 million per season as base salary plus additional bonuses. His overall contract boasted of a staggering amount of $150 million. Moreover, Saban has been the longstanding authority on the glory years of Alabama but was the witness to a three-year trophy doubt since their last win in 2020. Regardless of the team’s poor seasons, Saban has always been invaluable to the team, and they have made his time with Alabama worthwhile.

Compared to other coaches, Saban has been earning vast numbers for a very long time now. For example, Jim Harbaugh received a career extension with the Wolverines in 2022 that would pay him a salary of $8.3 million through 2026. And now as he plans to move toward the NFL, Michigan has put forth yet another contract that would put him in the lead if signed. Harbaugh’s newest contract would entail him receiving a 10-year, $125 million contract. Thus, if Harbaugh ends up staying back and not pursuing the HC position with the LA Chargers, he’d take over Saban’s spot of being the most-paid coach in the NCAA.

Kalen DeBoer, the new coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide, is not even close to earning as much as Saban despite replacing him. The former Huskies’ HC was receiving a $3.2 million salary with them in 2023. Now, with Alabama signing him, he is reportedly being paid over $4.2 million. An outrageous distinction between Saban and DeBoer’s contract is being witnessed, but maybe the new coach can earn his share of the bread soon.

Looking at Steve Sarkisian, the HC for the Texas A&M Aggies, he isn’t as far behind as Harbaugh or DeBoer when it comes to contracts. His contract with the Aggies ends in 2027 and is currently being paid a salary of $5.9 million. Thus, even the giant tycoons of Texas can’t seem to splurge on their coach as much as Alabama did on Saban. The legacy of Nick Saban will live on not because of his contract but because of a revolutionary decade of football.

Nick Saban speaks on his 16 years with the Alabama Crimson Tide

Saban signed on with the team in 2007 and nobody would have expected the team to flourish as such under his leadership. After his arrival, the Alabam Crimson Tide decimated the league of NCAA as they continued to win year after year. Under Saban, the team won national titles in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020 before falling off hard and losing their momentum.

In response to the legacy that he will be leaving behind, Saban said, “The University of Alabama has been a very special place to Terry and me,” Saban said. “We have enjoyed every minute of our 17 years being the head coach at Alabama as well as becoming a part of the Tuscaloosa community. It is not just about how many games we won and lost, but it’s about the legacy and how we went about it. We always tried to do it the right way.” Saban’s run saw one of the most dominant teams in the history of college football. Undoubtedly, his exit from the sport will leave a void that’ll soar high for a long time.

Read more: “That’s Why Nick Saban Walked Away”: Deion Sanders’ $50,000 Claim To Expose Transfer Portal’s Brutal Reality Receives Massive Support

Will Saban ever return to the world of coaching anymore? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Watch this Story: Coach Jim Harbaugh Sets The Record Straight On Michigan’s Sign-Stealing Incident