Nick Saban has made a profound impact on college football. The Alabama coaching legend, who retired Wednesday after winning seven national championships -- one at LSU (2003) and six at Alabama (2009, 2011-12, 2015, 2017, 2020) -- has had a big impact on the NFL, too.
A whopping 35 players who played for Saban at Alabama will suit up when the 2024 NFL playoffs begin this weekend. All but two of the league's 14 playoff teams have at least one player who played at Alabama. This is just another example of the impact Saban, 72, has had on the NFL. Saban, after all, had 49 of his former players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, the most by any coach in the common draft era.
Below is a team-by-team look at Alabama players who played under Saban that will take part in the 2024 NFL playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens
- CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
- CB Marlon Humphrey (2017 first-round pick)
Cleveland Browns
- WR Amari Cooper (2015 first-round pick)
- OL Alex Leatherwood (2015 first-round pick)
- DT Dalvin Tomlinson
- OT Jedrick Wills Jr. (2020 first-round pick)
Dallas Cowboys
- CB Trevon Diggs
Detroit Lions
- S Brian Branch
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs (2023 first-round pick)
- WR Jameson Williams (2022 first-round pick)
Green Bay Packers
- RB Kenyan Drake
Houston Texans
- DE Will Anderson Jr.
- LB Christian Harris
- S Kareem Jackson (2010 first-round pick)
- WR John Metchie III
- LB Henry To'oTo'o
Kansas City Chiefs
- DT Isaiah Buggs
Los Angeles Rams
Miami Dolphins
- OG Lester Cotton
- NT Raekwon Davis
- DE Da'Shawn Hand
- QB Tua Tagovailoa (2020 first-round pick)
- WR Jaylen Waddle (2021 first-round pick)
Philadelphia Eagles
- OG Landon Dickerson
- QB Jalen Hurts
- CB Josh Jobe
- WR Julio Jones (2011 first-round pick)
- CB Eli Ricks
- WR DeVonta Smith (2021 first-round pick)
- OL Tyler Steen
Pittsburgh Steelers
- S Minkah Fitzpatrick (2018 first-round pick)
- RB Najee Harris (2021 first-round pick)
- CB Levi Wallace
San Francisco 49ers
- TE Cameron Latu
The reason why many of Saban's players have had success in the NFL is simple: They possess the desire and willingness to work hard and to go above and beyond what is expected -- instilled by Saban himself.
An example of this occurred during the Steelers' 2022 training camp, when Najee Harris and Minkah Fitzpatrick were seen getting in extra work after an afternoon practice.
#Steelers post practice: Minkah working on his one-handed grabs while Najee gets in extra laps. pic.twitter.com/sO4EDjCS7S
— BryanDeArdo (@BryanDeArdo) August 17, 2022
Many former Alabama players also possess a team-first attitude, which is becoming more and more rare in today's climate. That's why it should come as no surprise that so many of Saban's former players are still playing.
