Kristen Saban Wants College Football Fans To Be Nicer After Alabama's Upset Loss To Florida State
The daughter of Nick Saban wants fans to take it easy, but in today’s NIL world of multi-million-dollar athlete, sympathy is hard to come by.
Alabama football fans aren’t used to losing — and, obviously, that includes Kristen Saban.
The daughter of legendary coach Nick Saban jumped on Instagram after the Crimson Tide’s Week 1 upset loss to unranked Florida State with a plea for fans to keep things nice and civil:
"Don't forget there's a family behind all of those players and coaches/staff. Everything you post can be read by anyone and it hurts people. Just a friendly reminder. Not speaking from personal experience or anything."
Look, she’s not entirely wrong. There are families behind the coaches and players, and no one’s condoning death threats, racist garbage or hate speech. That line is never acceptable.
But it’s 2025. College football isn’t the same sport it was 10 years ago — or even five years ago. The "they’re just kids" argument doesn’t hold water anymore. Thanks to NIL and the transfer portal, today’s top athletes aren’t just students playing for pride in their school. They’re multi-million-dollar earners with brand deals, media platforms and as much leverage as many pros.
So with that comes both the rewards and the criticism. If you’re cashing seven-figure checks to throw the football, fans are allowed to be mad when you don’t throw it very well.
And as for the coaches? Spare me. Kalen DeBoer signed an eight-year, $87 million contract with Alabama last year, and his assistants make more in a year than most Bama fans will see in a decade. Nick Saban himself was treated like a literal deity in Tuscaloosa for nearly two decades — a coach worshiped as much as Bear Bryant. With that kind of paycheck and that kind of pedestal comes scrutiny.
Many of us alumni are still paying off student loans for the privilege of attending these SEC schools, and now we’re asked to fork over astronomical amounts of money for tickets, "talent fees" and every new surcharge the athletic department dreams up. We’re pouring thousands of dollars into the program just to sit in the stadium. So forgive us, Kristen, if we don’t shed tears for athletes and coaches who are cashing checks with more zeroes than most of us will ever see.
It’s also more than a little rich for Kristen Saban to lecture the public now. Alabama has been the most dominant dynasty in modern college football. For years, they’ve been steamrolling everyone in their path, their fans being insufferable about it from sea to shining sea.
Of course, people are going to celebrate when the giant finally stumbles. In case this is your first day watching sports: one team wins, another loses and fanbases live for the chance to rub it in when Goliath falls.
And, to be clear, criticism isn’t the same as cruelty. Nobody should tolerate hate speech or threats. But fans mocking Alabama after an upset loss? You may not be used to being on that side of things, Kristen. But that's football.
And speaking as a Tennessee alumna, let me tell you, football was very good this weekend.