For the world, it is once bitten, twice shy. But for Nick Saban, it is once bitten, and then give it another try. The former Bama head coach was called out for swearing on live television during his first year as a College GameDay analyst. The complaints against Saban continued in his second year.
According to Al.com‘s Matt Stahl, several ESPN viewers filed obscenity complaints with the Federal Communications Commission, citing Saban’s use of swear words on College GameDay. Stahl obtained the complaints through a Freedom of Information Act request.
For the second year, multiple ESPN viewers filed obscenity complaints with the FCC that mention Nick Saban swearing on College Gameday, and once again, I got the complaints through a FOIA. Lots of Pat McAfee in here toohttps://t.co/O9SbQJ2nQm
— Matt Stahl (@mattstahl97) April 7, 2026
The viewers who raised issues with Saban’s complaints still held him in high regard for what he accomplished during his long college football coaching career. However, that exact thing made his loose tongue an issue. The former Alabama head coach saw three complaints regarding swear words in 2024. Last year, two such complaints were sent to the FCC, which does not govern cable television. As a result, it couldn’t punish Saban’s employers.
The first complaint concerns Saban’s comments about the matchup between Florida State and Kent State.
“Being an alumnus of Kent State, I think Florida State kicks the s–t out of us,” Saban said. Matthrew Tkachuk, a guest picker on the show, also repeated the same phrase. A letter was sent days later to the Federal Communications Commission containing an obscenity complaint against Saban.
“Mr. Saban and the guest picker both used a profane word to describe human feces in the context of a violent act,” the complaint read. “This is the second time in the past two weeks that I have heard the use of profanity on this morning show—profanity that was not blocked by the rating filters that are designed to lock out shows with such language.”
The second complaint was about Saban’s comments on November 22. However, he wasn’t the lone target. The complainant was mad at the entire crew of College GameDay, including Rece Davis, Pat McAfee, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard.
“Coach Saban is supposed to be the standard bearer and I really hate that he is tarnishing his image with the way he talks and also (Rece) Davis! I can’t believe (Davis) is joining in. I believe you need to censor the speech or tell them to stop. They are grown adults, and are setting a bad example for kids everywhere. This is not a hard ask,” it read.
According to the latest information, ESPN hasn’t taken any action on these complaints. Most viewers have taken warmly to Nick Saban’s appearance at College GameDay and his equation with McAfee. That was reflected in the show’s ratings. At times, the banter between the pair crosses the line in terms of swearing. For McAfee, it’s not a new thing. However, this is a totally different side of Coach Saban, and the more the merrier!
Nick Saban raises $500 in attempt to stop swearing
On one of his appearances on ESPN’s College GameDay, before the meeting between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Indiana Hoosiers, Saban spoke about Alabama transfer Caleb Downs. Before calling him “a great person, a phenomenal football player and one of the most complete people” he has had the opportunity to coach, Saban told a story about him seeking Downs’ help in stopping his swearing habit.
“The one thing about Caleb that I have to tell you: I just don’t know if I can trust him. We had a rule last year because I didn’t want to cuss in meetings. I was trying to be this ‘transformational’ leader and set a good example. So, every time I cussed in a meeting—and I was always in the DBs’ meeting — I had to pay five bucks. Well, Caleb was the guy holding the can. Well, there was about $500 in the can, and I don’t know whatever happened to the can.”
Host Rece Davis completed the story for Saban, revealing that Downs and Terrion Arnold spent the proceeds of “swear can.”
