Nick Saban’s new contract extension offers strongest clue yet when Alabama coach will retire

Alabama head coach Nick Saban just signed a big contract extension. What does the new deal suggest about his retirement date?

Nick Saban has been the head coach of Alabama football for 14 years. If he sees through the end of his contract, he’ll hit two decades in charge. Will he make it that long?

The Crimson Tide just tacked another three seasons on the end of his contract, locking him in through 2028.

When it comes to predicting a retirement date for the head coach, we now have a major clue.

When will Alabama head coach Nick Saban retire?

Saban is 69-years-old and achieved a legacy that has distinguished him as the greatest college football coach of all time. He’s won seven national titles, multiple national coach of the year awards from multiple sources and five SEC coach of the year nods. He’s a nine-time SEC champion.

Every time it looks like Alabama’s dynasty might begin to take a step back, he changes his approach and brings them back to the pinnacle of college football. So expecting him to step away and retire any time soon is a fool’s bet.

Sure, he could try to go out on top, but he’s a competitor. Like Tom Brady, it feels like he’ll keep going until he can’t go any further.

Alabama didn’t need to extend his contract, which was scheduled to end in 2025. The four-year recruiting window was still covered by the length of that deal. The fact that they put an extra three years on the end suggests Saban might have an idea of when he’ll be ready to step away.

If the answer is 2028, he’ll be 77-years-old. Who knows how many more accolades he’ll have accumulated by then. But when it comes to predicting when Saban will retire, after the 2028 season is the smart guess.

For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.