Picture this: Nick Saban, the GOAT of college football, has been casually rolling into the GameDay Show looking like he just stepped off a movie set. The man’s been serving looks lately—think 1970s Brooklyn mafia boss vibes crossed with Indiana Jones swagger. Shane Gillis didn’t miss a beat, crowning him “Alabama Jones” after that fedora moment. But this Christmas, Kristen Saban‘s low-key decided to switch up the roles. She donned the Santa cap (figuratively) in the Saban household, gifting her dad a hat that stole the show and kept the Alabama Jones buzz alive.
Kristen took it to IG story of Pat McAfee show’s clip on 27th December with the caption, “The hat lives on.” When Pat McAfee asked Nick, “Did anybody gift you something awesome for Christmas?” the man didn’t flinch. With his signature poker face, he deadpanned, “Yeah, I got a new hat… which I’m not willing to unveil. It’s gonna be a big secret.” Cue McAfee’s frat-boy “Wuuuuuuhh!” Then, Nick casually revealed, “Kristen got me a new hat,” sparking another round of “Wuuuuhhh, really?!” Man, these are banter that we would pay a few bucks and watch on Christmas. Kristen wasn’t just handing over a hat; she was cementing her spot as the family’s new Santa, keeping the Alabama Jones narrative alive while sprinkling a little Christmas magic.
Kristen didn’t stop at gifting the hat; she went full-on Santa’s workshop mode for her dad’s brand. The 27-year-old hit social media to hype the Alabama Jones energy, curating Nick Saban-inspired hats on Amazon and teasing fans with, “Don’t y’all worry, you already know I’m making a roundup of hats for you.” Forget traditional merch drops—this was a Saban family spectacle. Kristen turned a playful holiday moment into a branding coup, showing she’s not just Nick’s daughter but also his biggest promoter.
Nick Saban: The new influencer?
This Christmas wasn’t just about Nick Saban’s fits or his coach-turned-influencer vibes—it was Kristen’s time to shine. After getting trolled over her Thanksgiving outfit, Kristen clapped back with a hilarious post showcasing her dad’s hat. She basically said, “Y’all can drag me, but I’m too busy winning.” By flipping her narrative and hyping Nick’s iconic look, Kristen became the ultimate holiday MVP.
Ain’t gonna lie. At this point, Nick Saban might just be the real influencer in the family. Kristen’s been hyping her dad’s merch, but it’s Saban’s low-key shift from stoic sideline general to family man with a sense of humor that’s stealing the show. Retirement has turned the man who once intimidated entire stadiums into someone we can’t get enough of—rocking fits and cracking jokes like he’s got a Netflix special in the works.
Kristen’s Instagram spree didn’t just highlight her dad’s hats; it painted a picture of their playful dynamic. She’s always been Nick’s biggest cheerleader, even when it means turning a trolling episode into a full-blown fashion statement. “Nick, the influencer,” she joked, and honestly, she’s not wrong. Those hats? Fire. The vibe? Immaculate. GameDay drips? Diabolical. And the best part? Watching Nick Saban lean into this lighter, more relatable persona.
Nick Saban may be the face of the operation, but know this. This Christmas, Kristen was the one running the show. She flipped the script, brought the fun, and proved that in the Saban household, the holidays are all about family—and a whole lot of banter. If this is the new holiday tradition for the Sabans, sign me up for every hat drop and family flex.
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