During an interview with KSAT 12 in San Antonio, Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said he has not spoken to Alabama coach Nick Saban following comments regarding Name, Image and Likeness deals.
Saban recently alleged the Aggies got the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class by paying players through their use of NIL partnerships.
When the reporter asked if Saban has apologized to him, Fisher said, “No, we haven’t talked.” When asked if he would accept a public apology, Fisher added, “I said we’re not talking.”
After Saban’s initial comments, Fisher called a press conference Thursday to respond and ripped the seven-time national champion. He called Saban a “narcissist” and insinuated that Saban has not followed NCAA rules in the past.
“Some people think they’re God,” Fisher said. “Go dig into how God did his deal. You may find out about a guy, a lot of things you don’t want to know. We build him up to be the czar of football. Go dig into his past.”
During the press conference, Fisher said Saban had called him but he didn’t answer and added “we’re done.” After the press conference, Saban apologized for singling out Fisher during an interview on ESPNU radio’s Off-Campus.
“I should have never singled anybody out,” Saban said. “That was a mistake and I apologize for that part of it."
Saban later added, “I really wasn’t saying anybody did anything illegal in using NIL. That was something assumed by what I said. It’s not what I meant. There’s nothing illegal about doing this. It’s the system. That’s the issue I have.”
During his interview with KSAT 12, Fisher called out social media and reporters for perpetuating inaccurate information about Texas A&M and its NIL deals. He said of the program’s 11 early enrollees, only one has an NIL deal.
“You want a story, a click and a hit,” he told the reporter.
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