Before serving as a United States Senator from Alabama, Tommy Tuberville was renowned among college football enthusiasts for his roles as the head football coach for the Auburn Tigers, Ole Miss Rebels, and Cincinnati Bearcats.
During Nick Saban’s initial year as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Tuberville led Auburn to victory. However, the following year marked a significant shift, as Alabama clinched their first SEC West title and triumphed over Auburn with a 36-0 win, terminating a six-game Iron Bowl win streak and concluding Tuberville’s era at Auburn.
Tuberville now asserts that he played a pivotal role in Alabama securing Nick Saban as their head coach, suggesting that Alabama fans should express gratitude by supporting him.
“I told them, ‘First of all, you wouldn’t have Nick Saban because I got the rest of them fired,'” he stated. Tuberville acknowledges Saban’s transformative impact on Alabama’s football landscape but wraps his praise in a somewhat backhanded compliment.
Despite the nuanced acknowledgment, Tuberville did commend his former rival, expressing, “You can’t say enough about what he’s done and meant to football over the last 25 years.”
Additionally, Tuberville reveals his anticipation of Saban’s retirement, attributing it, in part, to discussions about Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) legislation. Tuberville suggests that Saban, having accomplished a great deal, might have sought a change and expresses regret at seeing him depart from college sports.
Interestingly, there have been Democratic overtures to potentially field Saban against Tuberville in a future Senate election. Although Saban’s political affiliation remains undisclosed, his friendship with outgoing West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin and his support for Democratic causes, such as Black Lives Matter, have been noted. While the likelihood of Saban entering politics seems low, the prospect of him backing another Democratic candidate in the future could pose a challenge for Tuberville, considering Saban’s significant influence and popularity.
