For the last two decades or so, there was one thing football fans could always count on each fall.
- Nick Saban would be on the sidelines for Alabama on Saturdays
- Bill Belichick would be on the sidelines for New England on Sundays
That’s no longer the case after a whirlwind 24 hours where Saban announced his retirement and Belichick mutually agreed to end his tenure with the Patriots. Whether or not Belichick continues coaching is still to be determined. Regardless, the two icons moving away from the teams they’ll always be most-closely associated with marks a massive shift in the sport. And it’s being felt in every corner of the game.
Even in Miami — where Saban once coached and where Belichick once routinely tormented the Dolphins — the change in vibes couldn’t go unmentioned.
Miami head coach Mike McDaniel was asked about Saban and Belichick moving on and he really captured the spirit of what it’s like watching two of the best coaches in the history of the sport move on.
Warning: NSFW Language
“It’s just kind of a reminder to me that, you know, I’m just going to be candid, that Father Time’s a [expletive], You know? Really not a nice guy, but it’s real and I think it reminds you that everything is finite.”