Legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban urged players to block out 'external factors' and ignore internet trolls

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Nick Saban shocked the college football world when he announced his retirement from coaching. The seven-time national championship winner has since taken on a "supportive" role at Alabama, the program he coached to six national titles.

While Saban faced challenges throughout his storied career, he also had to contend with criticism away from the field. In December, the undefeated Florida State Seminoles were left out of the top four in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Saban-led Crimson Tide took the fourth and final playoff spot, which sparked controversy.

Some upset fans decided to contact Saban directly. 

"My phone’s been getting blown up from people who didn’t get in. As if I’m responsible for that," Saban said on "The Pat McAfee Show" last December. This week, Saban offered a more blunt take on "internet haters."

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Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide before the SEC championship game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Dec. 4, 2021, in Atlanta. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Saban said one of the challenges he faced as a coach was trying to minimize the impact of "external factors," like opinions on the internet.

"It amazes me that some guy sits in his basement, probably in his mom’s house, probably in his underwear, probably overweight, and he puts something on the internet and anybody cares about what he thinks," Saban said at the Irondale Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast in Alabama.

"But it would affect our players," Saban said. "And I was constantly trying to get them not to be affected by external factors, what other people think."

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