Saban, Belichick and Carroll Leaving Long Time Roles

In just under 24 hours, three legendary coaches are each exiting their long time jobs as head football coaches.

Alabama’s Nick Saban announced his departure from Alabama in favor of retirement. Bill Belichick is parting ways with the New England Patriots after 24 years. And Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll will be in a new role with the organization next season.

Saban’s SEC Shuffle

Seven College Football National Championships later, Nick Saban has called it quits.

“It’s been such a phenomenal run,” Alabama Sportscaster Chris Stewart said, “Still getting the job done and then some.”

https://twitter.com/SEC/status/1745253800334459141

Taking over the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2007, Saban has been a staple of SEC football. He started his SEC career at LSU where he won a National Championship. Saban kicked off his tenure in Tuscaloosa with three BCS National Championships in his first six seasons.

He then saw BCS turn into the CFP. The College Football Playoff added an additional roadblock to the coveted title, but the Tide kept rolling. Six CFP National Championship appearances and another three National Championship titles cemented the college football legacy of the legend Nick Saban.

“You’re inheriting not a bad situation,” Stewart said, “You’re inheriting the keys to the Cadillac.”

And it wasn’t just the glory of the accolades that made Saban who he was at Alabama. It was his player development. No member of any recruiting class during his time at Alabama stayed for four years without winning a National Championship. And he’s the only SEC coach to have multiple Heisman winners. He also has more first round picks at Alabama (44) than losses at Alabama (29).

https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1745518029742420323

And Saban’s influence is far from leaving the landscape of football.

A long line of Saban coaching lineage is still present across both the NFL and College Football. Kirby Smart has already done his best Saban impression by winning back-to-back national titles at Georgia. A number of former assistants are likely to be in line for the new opening at a premiere SEC program. It just won’t be Dan Lanning, yet.

Belichick’s Legacy

And Saban isn’t alone in the lifestyle change. His former boss with the Cleveland Browns, Bill Belichick, is moving on from the New England Patriots.

https://twitter.com/The33rdTeamFB/status/1745465049047875877

After 24 years with the Patriots, Belichick has six Super Bowl titles to show for it. He helped New England post 17 straight double digit win seasons. But after a 4-13 season the head coach/GM is now on the job search.

“This was delicate and sensitive,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said, “And they had to go through what they did.”

Carroll’s Carousel

It was a coaching journey that started in 1973 at the age of 22. By 2001, Pete Carroll was at the helm of the USC Trojans. During his time, USC became the first school to have three Heisman Trophy winners in a four-year span. In 2003 and 2004 he coached the Trojans to two straight BCS National Championship wins.

He took over the Seattle Seahawks in 2010 and only posted three losing seasons during his time. After the 2013 season, Carroll was a Super Bowl winning coach, becoming just the fourth at the time to lead a National Championship and Super Bowl team to the top of the sports mountain.

Carroll said he fought to remain the head coach, but ultimately will be moving into a different role.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1745197861032051147