16 photos of Nick Saban throughout his illustrious football coaching career

Alabama head coach Nick Saban is retiring, ESPN’s Chris Low reported on Wednesday.

College football fans were shocked to learn that Nick Saban is calling it quits on his illustrious career. Saban’s time in the college football ranks spans multiple decades, but his most recent claim to fame has been his time at Alabama.

Under his 17-year tenure, Alabama has won a staggering six national titles — seven overall — and despite not having several key pieces from its 2022 roster, the team made the Rose Bowl just days ago. (However, he probably wants to forget the final play of his legacy.)

Simply put, he’s one of the best ever to do it.

Nick Saban is one of the best to ever do it:

🐐 7 National championships (6 w/ Bama, 1 w/ LSU)
🐐 5x SEC COY awards
🐐 297 career wins (5th all-time)

28 years of greatness pic.twitter.com/WlEGUFYXz6

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 10, 2024

Here’s a look back at several moments from over the years:

1

2018

MIAMI, FL – DECEMBER 29: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates the win against the Oklahoma Sooners during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

2

2004

FILE – In this Sept. 11, 2004, file photo, LSU coach Nick Saban encourages his players before an NCAA college football game against Arkansas State in Baton Rouge, La. Nick Saban is retiring after leading Alabama to six national titles in 17 seasons and winning another at LSU, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Patrick Dennis)

3

1990

Hand out photo of Nick Saban (left) while head football coach at University of Toledo in 1990. He spent one season with the Rockets before going to the Cleveland Browns as the defensive coordinator. (University of Toledo)

4

2023

Dec 31, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban (left) and Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh pose with the Leishman Trophy at the Rose Bowl coaches press conference at the Sheraton Grand (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)

5

2018

Jan 8, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; CFP executive director Bill Hancock (left) awards the trophy to Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs 26-23 in overtime in the 2018 CFP national championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sport)

6

1996

Michigan State head coach Nick Saban reviews a drill with Archer Collins (32) during practice on Thursday, Dec. 26, 1996, at the Socorro Activities Complex in El Paso, Texas. Michigan State meets Stanford in the annual Sun Bowl on Dec. 31. (AP Photo/El Paso Times, J.R. Hernandez)

7

2022

Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban yells at Alabama defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry (1) after he drew a pass interference call during the College Football Playoff National Championship against Georgia on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Georgia won 33-18. (Joshua L Jones/ USA TODAY NETWORK)

8

2013

In this Jan. 7, 2013, file photo, Alabama head coach Nick Saban holds The Coaches Trophy after the BCS National Championship college football game against Notre Dame, in Miami. The decade-long chase to catch Alabama has caused patience to wear thin across the rest of the Southeastern Conference. As Nick Saban and Alabama chase their sixth national title in 10 seasons this year, five of the SEC’s other 13 programs have new coaches. It represents the league’s highest turnover since 1946, when the SEC had six new coaches. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

9

2019

Jan 7, 2019; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) speak at a press conference after the 2019 College Football Playoff Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at Levi’s Stadium.(Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports)

10

2004

Louisiana State University coach Nick Saban throws passes to his defensive backs during practice at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004. LSU will face Oklahoma in the 2004 Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

11

2017

In this Nov. 4, 2017, file photo, LSU head coach Ed Orgeron, left, and Alabama head coach Nick Saban meet in the center of the field before an NCAA college football game, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Eight SEC games have been postponed already with only Arkansas, Kentucky and South Carolina not affected _ yet. “I do believe that Alabama and LSU ought to play this year, and I do believe we’re going to play somehow, some way,” Orgeron said. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

12

2021

Sep 4, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban wears the Old Leather Helmet at Mercedes-Benz Stadium after Alabama defeated Miami 44-13. (Gary Cosby/USA TODAY Sports)

13

1998

Michigan State University coach Nick Saban works the sidelines during a game against Indiana on October 10, 1998, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich. Saban begins his fifth year at MSU this season, and is considered to be in the middle of the Big 10 this year by most national publications.(AP Photo/Werner Slocum)

14

2018

Alabama head coach Nick Saban coaches his DBs during the Crimson Tide’s third 2014 Spring football practice, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at the Thomas-Drew Practice Facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/AL.com, Vasha Hunt) ORG XMIT: ALBIN408

15

2004

1/4/2004 — New Orleans, La — 2004 Nokia Sugar Bowl — Louisiana Superdome — University of Oklahoma v’s Louisiana State University — LSU Nick Saban holds up the championship trophy. Photo by Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY

16

2006

Miami Dolphins football coach Nick Saban protest a touch down call during the second half of the Sunday, Oct. 22, 2006, as the team lost 34-24 to the Green Bay Packers. (AP Photo/J. Pat Carter)