Longtime Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban recently revealed the lessons that Bill Belichick taught him regarding team building and coaching. While appearing on the popular podcast “The Pivot,” Saban detailed how Belichick showed him the importance of players being the right fit for the team, even if they were less highly rated than other players out of high school.
Belichick and Saban are widely regarded as two of the greatest football coaches of all time. Belichick is a six-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, while Saban is a seven-time college football national champion and 11-time SEC Champion.
Both men have been in a commentary and analyst role this year, but it was announced in December that Belichick would be returning to coaching as the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels next year.
What Did Nick Saban Reveal About Bill Belichick’s Lessons?
Saban gave credit to Belichick for showing him the value of having the right players in the right team role no matter external perception, and used Green Bay Packers superstar running back Josh Jacobs as an example.
“Josh Jacobs had no stars. But he fit what we wanted as a running back. And, so, Damien Harris was a five-star. Josh Jacobs was first team. Damien Harris was second team.
“Josh Jacobs got drafted in the first round. Damien Harris got drafted in the third round. Playing on the same team at the same time,” Saban stated.
Saban concluded by outlining how that example was only one of the lessons he learned from Belichick and made him a “so much better coach.”
Bill Belichick’s 2025 Coaching Outlook
While Saban will most likely continue with his media role, Belichick still plans to enter his first season with the Tar Heels football program. Though he is one of the winningest and most successful coaches in NFL history, Belichick has no prior experience at the college football level.
Nowadays, recruiting and the transfer portal are essential elements of building a successful and sustainable program. As a result, Belichick will need to be active and aggressive in the recruiting game to ensure that he has an eye for talent in a similar way that Saban did in getting the best out of the lower ranked recruit Jacobs.
