PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Combined they won 13 championships and now both have left their jobs. Najee Harris’ thoughts on his coach at Alabama Nick Saban retiring and Elandon Roberts started his career with Bill Belichick, who is out in New England.
Roberts was a sixth-round pick of the Patriots in 2016 out of Houston. It was not a lock that he would make the team, let along become a starter. He would play in 60 games in New England, starting 33 making 206 tackles in four seasons and was a part of two Super Bowl championship teams.
“Coach Belichick and the Patriots organization changed my whole life,” Roberts said Thursday. “He gave me my opportunity. That was my phone call and Bill Belichick was on it.”
“I don’t think this is the end of Bill. I don’t think there is a greater coach.”
Saban retirement
Najee Harris remembers the first time he met Nick Saban, when the Alabama coach visited him in California ‘in the hood’. He described his house ‘as a small little hut’ and said they ‘chopped it up’ with him and said Saban was a good guy.
“He taught me a lot of the ‘x’s’ and ‘o’s’ and what to expect in the NFL. We have a lot of one-on-one meetings on things I needed to work and just improving my game. Really just how to become a first-rounder for a running back even though a lot of people don’t like that.
He really elevated me in a way.”
Harris said it will be different, not knowing who will be the Alabama head coach. He said Nick and his wife Terry did a lot in the community. He said Saban’s wife once visited Harris’ mom in the hospital and brought her flowers.
“He was a great coach,” said former Alabama safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. “He was hard on us. He was tough on us. It was because he knew what that was going to get us.”
“It will be weird, I’m excited to see who they hire.”