College Football

Deion Sanders, others across sports world react to Nick Saban's retirement

Updated Jan. 10, 2024 11:20 p.m. ET

Nick Saban, widely considered to be the greatest college football coach of all time, has informed his Alabama team that he is retiring, per multiple reports.

Saban, 72, finishes his coaching career with a 292-71-1 record and seven national championships, one with LSU and six with the Crimson Tide. He developed four Heisman Trophy winners, including current "Big Noon Kickoff" analyst Mark Ingram, and countless NFL stars, including Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, DeVonta Smith, Dont'a Hightower, Minkah Fitzpatrick and many, many others.

Saban took over as Alabama's head coach back in 2007 following a stop in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. After his first year in Tuscaloosa, Saban's Alabama teams rattled off 16 straight seasons with 10 or more wins, which also included 11 SEC championships.

BREAKING: Nick Saban retiring as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide | No. 1 CFB Show

The college football world was stunned by the reports of Saban's retirement. Tributes poured in from all across the sport — led by fellow college football coach Deion Sanders — to honor a legend as he steps back from one of the most legendary coaching tenures of all time.

[Nick Saban leaves the widest gaping hole in college football history]

Ingram also shared a tribute to his former college coach.

Here is a look at how others reacted to the shocking news: