Comedian Shane Gillis Revealed He Had a Heated Conversation with Coach Nick Saban
Comedian Shane Gillis appeared on ESPN’s “College GameDay” and revealed a heated conversation he had with legendary college football coach Nick Saban. Gillis, a stand-up comedian, jokingly suggested that Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide had cheated while he was there, saying they were dominant in college football because they had been paying players before it was legal to do so through NIL deals.
Saban, known for his six national titles during his time in Tuscaloosa, took offense to Gillis’ remarks. On the show, he called the comedian out, saying, “I do believe in integrity. I always tried to run the program that way so players had a better chance to be successful in life. We make more money in the NFL than any other school, 61 players in the league. That was how we cheated. We developed players.”
Gillis then revealed that after the cameras stopped rolling, Saban confronted him, saying, “You think the SEC dominated cause we cheated? That’s bulls—. He spazzed on me,” according to Gillis. It seemed that Gillis’ humor was not well-received by Saban, who was determined to defend his program’s integrity.
Saban’s intensity was not limited to the on-camera remarks, as he continued to express his anger after the show. The comedian revealed that Saban was upset, having initially been calm and collected during their conversation on the show, only to break down after Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit suggested Gillis go talk to him.
The heated exchange marked an interesting moment in the world of sports, as two passionate individuals clashed over their views on the state of college football and the role of money in the sport.