Nick Saban announced his retirement in January after a Steller 17-season run at Alabama. But, recently he has been quite vocal against the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeliness), expressing that a revenue-sharing system would be better for both the students and the colleges. Saban, who made massive earnings as a coach, has since received a lot of flak from fans and pundits alike, and this time former Bengals wideout T. J. Houshmandzadeh shared his two cents.
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In a recent appearance on “The Odd Couple,” Pro Bowler WR T. J. Houshmandzadeh didn’t hold back in calling out the hypocrisy he sees in Nick Saban’s stance on NIL deals.
The former wide receiver reminded Saban of his own past decisions of seeking better opportunities, from switching coaching positions to enjoying lucrative deals. According to Houshmandzadeh, the current college players too are seeking similar control and financial benefits and are simply following Saban’s lead.
T.J. stressed the fact that Nick is going against the college players who actually helped him make a name for himself. He even challenged Saban to consider whether he can accomplish the same success with the smaller programs, which the wide receiver thinks he cannot.
“And it’s so hypocritical that you’ve made millions upon millions of dollars on the backs of these kids,” T.J. stated. You just go to a small school and see if you’re going to win these national championships. You won because of the players you were getting.”
Moreover, Houshmandzadeh believes if the former Alabama coach is against NIL deals, then he should use some portion of his wealth to help these talented players. He said Saban has enough cash to make things impartial and just for players and help them build their own brands.
Notably, Nick Saban began coaching at Kent State University in the 1970s. After that, he moved around from program to program with the likes of Toledo, Michigan State, LSU, and Alabama Crimson Tide, where he hung up his coaching hats, according to Sports Reference. Overall, in his 51 years of football career, he earned around $150 million, of which $124 million came during his Alabama tenure alone.
Rob Parker Joins Houshmandzadeh in Criticizing Saban’s Stance
Rob Parker, the host of the show, agreed with T. J. Houshmandzadeh’s criticism of Nick Saban. He highlighted that older coaches like Saban are resisting changes in college football, particularly regarding college players receiving paychecks and having more control over their careers.
“These old time coaches don’t like what’s going on. They don’t like the compensation that these players are getting. They don’t like the idea that they don’t have control over over them.”
Saban, despite his success, has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the current system, but Parker thinks he should accept it or leave as he did by retiring. Parker highlighted Saban’s desire for a uniform system that applies to everyone involved in college football.
“All the things I believed in for all these years. 50 years of coaching, no longer exist in college athletics.”
Nick Saban knows NIL changed everything. pic.twitter.com/IEW4QCYNnu
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) March 12, 2024
However, the colleges, who aren’t directly paying the athletes, shouldn’t have a say in how the money from NIL deals is managed. He also criticized the lack of representation for players, as they don’t have a union to advocate for their interests in negotiations.
Furthermore, Parker emphasized the need for fairness in how coaches and players are treated. He believes that if players are subject to rules, those same rules should also apply to coaches who leave their teams for better opportunities. Overall, both Parker and T.J. think it’s hypocritical for Saban to advocate for changes in college football when he has already retired and should let the system evolve without his interference.
