“Mrs. Always Right” made her presence known recently.
During an appearance on ESPN’s “College Gameday” last Saturday, Terry Saban, wife of Alabama coach Nick Saban, was asked by Pat McAfee whether her husband might come out of retirement to coach Penn State for a whopping $50 million. There’s been quite a bit of chatter regarding who will take the reins at Penn State following James Franklin’s dismissal last week, leaving him with $49 million still on his contract.
“Look, Pat, if Nick wanted to jump back in, I truly believe he could snag that eighth national championship. But honestly, we’re having such a blast that we wouldn’t want to disrupt all these young coaches like Kirby,” referring to Kirby Smart, and Lane Kiffin. “It’s a good time. I haven’t seen the figures yet, Pat,” Terry mentioned on set.
When the focus shifted back to the main stage, where Saban stood beside McAfee, the seven-time national champion indicated that his wife had made the call.
“Mrs. Always Right has spoken,” Saban chuckled while Terry gave a thumbs up.
Saban had announced his retirement from college football in January 2024 after completing 17 seasons with the University of Alabama and spending 28 years at the collegiate level.
“The University of Alabama has always been special to both Terry and me,” Saban remarked in a statement back then. “We’ve cherished every moment of our 17 years as coaches at Alabama and being part of the Tuscaloosa community.”
Karen DeBoer was appointed as Saban’s successor, and the sixth-ranked Crimson Tide improved their season record to 6-1 with a 37-20 win against Tennessee on Saturday.
Aside from Mrs. Saban, Franklin also appeared on “College GameDay,” just days after Penn State embarked on a 3-3 start and let go of its head coach after 12 years.
“I thought we could grab a national championship there,” Franklin shared. “We were close. That goal still stands. We just need to win a national championship—somewhere.”
Saban didn’t hold back when discussing Penn State’s decision, labeling it “totally unfair” to Franklin, who is 53.
“It’s unfair that they lack appreciation for all the hard work he’s put in,” Saban expressed.
Penn State faced a setback in their first game under interim coach Terry Smith, narrowly losing 25-24 to Iowa State, marking a rocky start post-Franklin.
