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Ole Miss football head coach Lane Kiffin worked closely with Nick Saban before taking over the Rebels. Kiffin believes Saban will eventually end his retirement, and dip back into coaching.
The verbose Kiffin dropped the bombshell take during Monday's Southeastern Conference media days. The legendary Alabama head coach Saban left the profession last season. Ultimately clearing the way for Kalen DeBoer to succeed him at Tuscaloosa.
Kiffin, though, doesn't believe his former head coach will stay out of coaching.
“He’s not going to need me to hire him,” Kiffin said, when asked whether he would consider hiring Saban. “I don’t think he’s done. I think he’ll be back. Whether that’s college or NFL, I think he’ll be back.”
Lane Kiffin doesn’t think his former boss Nick Saban is done coaching. https://t.co/7iCKcaiWXf pic.twitter.com/EduSxUfaOP
— Sam Hutchens (@Sam_Hutchens_) July 14, 2025
It's a big take from the Rebels head coach. Considering how decorated Saban's resume is. Plus why he originally left the profession.
Why Nick Saban left coaching while Lane Kiffin built Ole Miss
Saban publicly grew tired of the evolving landscape of college football.
He witnessed conference realignment shape up the nation. Including the Southeastern Conference expanding to 14 teams in the early 2010s to hitting 16 last season. Saban also has watched NIL impact multiple college football recruiting decisions. And he's witnessed the college football transfer portal oversaturate the CFB realm.
Kiffin rebuilt his own coaching career under Saban. The embattled head coach landed the ‘Bama offensive coordinator role in 2014 following his dismissal from USC. Kiffin also coached the quarterbacks from 2014 to 2016 — the latter season featuring a young Jalen Hurts. Kiffin eventually got another crack at head coaching through Florida Atlantic, where he went 26-13 from 2017 to 2019 and produced two seasons of 10 or more victories.
The 50-year-old now enters his sixth season in Oxford. He's 44-18 overall at Ole Miss. Kiffin isn't just a renown offensive guru in the SEC. But isn't afraid to jab others.
Kiffin took a dig at the Big Ten during his media days appearance. He even trolled rival Hugh Freeze at Auburn with a golf comment.
But he brought Saban back into the SEC and national conversation. The 73-year-old Saban wouldn't become the first of his age to make a return to coaching if given another shot. His longtime friend and former Cleveland Browns boss Bill Belichick is leading North Carolina.
