Witnessing the departure of two giants in the world of football. In the NFL, Bill Belichick, no longer the head coach of the New England Patriots after 24 seasons and six Super bowl wins, but in the world of college football, my world. I keep remembering this scene from January 3, 2007, when a plane carrying the athletic director of the University of Alabama landed in Tuscaloosa with a special guest on board.

Nick sa been that it'll be our goal to give you the kind of football program, kind of football team that you can be proud of.

Thousands of people had gathered at that regional airport just to get a glimpse of the new head coach. But little did anyone know in the crowd that day or realize that that would change the city of Tuscaloosa forever. Also, the game of college football. What coach Saban, who announced yesterday that he is retiring after 17 seasons, did for the city, for the school and for the state, it's hard to measure. Yeah, you could count the six national championships, the nine SEC championships, that 120 and 18 record when the conference was at its fiercest, or the four Heisman Trophy winners that he coached. But in addition to cementing his place as the greatest college football coach in modern history, Saban was also a leader who breathed new life into the school. In the 17 seasons that he was there, the enrollment at the school exploded. Over half the freshman class now comes from out of state, but again, those are just numbers off the field. He was just as memorable. And it takes an Alabama legend to put his legend into perspective. And I can't tell you how excited I am to have the legendary Joe Namath joining me tonight.

Thank you so much for being here. I just wonder how you're reflecting on Saban's 17 seasons and what he meant to the school.

Well, Caitlin, first of all, thanks for having me. And roll tide to you, too. We love know, and we hated to see this end. I think about Mel Moore, our athletic director. Whenever we're trying to get Nick away from pro ball to come to Tuscaloosa, Mel would stay down there in Miami and just, well, he wore Nick down to where Nick finally gave in. But it brings back some wonderful members of Mel Moore and Coach Saban Mann. I've known him since his days at Michigan State, and he brought more pride back to our campus than we thought was possible.

How do you think he was able to do that, to leave such an imprint, not just on the school, but on the sport, period?

Yeah, well, first of all, I'd have to say Terry had a lot to do with this game. It's life of ours, the team game. Football is a team game. And Mrs. Saban, Terry, she had a lot to do with this. And so we got to give her some credit, too. Winning, you never get tired of winning. I don't believe you'd always rather win than not. And Coach Saban, the way he went about business, the way he went about dealing with people, dealing with people, getting to know them and teaching them how to live the life or how to learn to live the life, to communicate respect one another, do the best you can at everything you do. You deserve to do the best you can for your family, for yourself and for your team and for your fellow students. Nick, man, he's sensational. And you know that.

Kayla, it broke my heart to hear this news. I mean, everyone was kind of dreading it. You knew it's going to come at some, you know, when you think about what these moments, these eras can mean for Tuscaloosa and Alabama, I mean, you played under one of the greatest coaches of all time, Bear Bryant. I just kind of wonder what similarities you ever saw in their coaching styles, their presence on the, know what you said there, their investment in these players as people, not just as players.

Well, coach Bryant, first of all, he was a teacher. Nick was a teacher. I mean, he demanded respect for one another and to other people. Coach Bryant got that one from Coach Bryant, man, he gave his seniors a ring whenever we were finished, and it's still with my heart, man. But Nick, he taught the players how to own up to, you know, you play football for a while, but you got your life ahead of you. Off the field is so important. And the thing about Coach Saban is he not only was a great man on the field, hands on coaching these guys, showing them how to do things, but he was getting them ready for the big game, the big game of, and Terry was right there with him all along the way.

A lot of talk about who steps in shoes like mean. It's basically impossible. No one will be able to redo what he did. But what would your advice be to whoever Greg Byrne does pick to replace Nick Saban as the head coach?

Well, Greg, we did talk when coach Saban was considering this, or did. Well, I don't think anybody is looking forward to trying to feel his know, this is a challenging thing. It's going to take a brave heart to come in there because we truly expect the crimson tide to continue to be strong, continue to grow. My daughter Jessica and I are talking about it, that who wants to come and take place you can't take his place. You got to be your own, man. You got to be your own. You got to come in. Not trying to mimic Nick, not trying to do the same things, but continually.