Saban may be retired, but he still found a way to get the competitive juices flowing

PublishedDecember 16, 2025 7:20 PM EST•UpdatedDecember 16, 2025 6:55 PM EST

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Nick Saban made a name for himself as one of the greatest college football coaches of all-time, but now he’s branching out and getting involved in — of all sports — hockey.

It was announced on Tuesday that Saban is now a minority owner in the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

Saban and his business partner in Dream Sports Ventures LLC, Joe Agresti, recently sealed the deal to purchase a stake in the team.

Maybe Saban will bring some winning mojo to the team?

Because, man, they could sure use a little of it. They’re currently one of the worst teams in hockey and at the bottom of the Central Division standings.

Just turn Coach Saban loose in the locker room and I bet things will turn around in a hurry.

“Although I am now retired as a coach, I still possess a competitive nature and a great passion for sports,” Saban said, per NHL.com. “Being involved in a sports team in Nashville has always been a goal, and the opportunity to partner in the Predators with a class act like (Predators majority owner) Bill Haslam created the perfect scenario for us. The Preds are a great organization with a fantastic brand, and we are excited to be part of the future success of the franchise.”

Saban is the latest person in a growing list of folks from the football world to get in on hockey.

Former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch is a minority owner of the Seattle Kraken, while the ECHL — basically Double-A minor league hockey, two steps below the NHL — has a bunch of owners with NFL ties.

Former Broncos and Jaguars defensive end Reggie Hayward is part of the ownership group for the Buffalo Sabres-affiliated Jacksonville Icemen, while NFL linebacker Myles Jack (along with his mom, LaSonjia) is the majority owner of the Allen Americans, the ECHL affiliate of the Ottawa Senators.

Then there’s Tim Tebow, who is part of the ownership group for the Tahoe Knight Monsters — affiliated with the Vegas Golden Knights — as well as a new franchise that will begin play in Augusta, Georgia, in 2027.