Nick Saban's lesson for Congress

It is no secret that Congress and the Senate are getting older. The House side is dominated by both baby boomers and Generation X while the Senate is overwhelmed by boomers, accompanied by a handful of legislators from the Silent Generation1. The overall median age is fifty-nine2 but this has not helped the fact that recently several high-profile lawmakers have made the news because of their age. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California passed away in office at the age of ninety. Additionally, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who is eighty-one, appeared to freeze up during a couple of press conferences fueling concerns that the lawmaker was in bad health. These high-profile occurrences coupled with the age of congress increasing since 19993 have caused many Americans to wonder, when is someone too old to be in Congress? As legislators age they should rightfully be faced with the question of “When is the right time to step away?”.

Senior lawmakers can find wisdom to answer this question from an unlikely person, Nick Saban. At seventy two years of age Nick Saban is stepping away from head coaching. As the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide Saban amassed six national championships and a seventh one at Louisiana State4. Saban represents the pinnacle of college football, his relentless work ethic and demand for perfection pushed him and his teams to greatness. Yet it could not last forever and on January 10th Saban announced his retirement. Speaking with Chris Low of ESPN Saban cited his age as the primary factor for his retirement. Saban said that it had become harder for him to do things at the standard he’d always done them and that not being able to promise his sustained presence would be a detriment to the program5. Saban demonstrates remarkable humility in his decision. Though his decision to retire was an impossible one it was necessary to preserve the future of Alabama football in the changing landscape of college sports. However, Saban’s retirement from coaching does not mean he is stepping away from Alabama completely. Although his role is not yet clear Saban plans to provide support for coaches and players alike6.

Lawmakers should learn from Saban. They will not always be able to be as effective as they once were. The job of a senator or congressman demands a lot and gets harder as age increases and mental and emotional stamina decreases. When a lawmaker is no longer able to do their job to the standard the country requires they should ask themselves “Is it time to step away?”. Saban answered the question honestly, acknowledging that he cannot do the job like he always had. This does not leave Saban in the dust though as he plans to still have a role at the University. The same should be said of senior legislators. They cannot be ignored simply because they cannot keep up with the demands of a grueling job. Wisdom can still be gleaned from them. So the question is not “should they be gotten rid of?” but “What is their new role?”. As congress gets older they should ask themselves honestly if they can keep up with the job and evaluate what their role should look like as they age. Fortunately, Nick Saban provides wisdom to guide them in this question.

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/01/30/house-gets-younger-senate-gets-older-a-look-at-the-age-and-generation-of-lawmakers-in-the-118th-congress/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/congress-age-demographics-house-senate/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2023/09/12/how-congress-is-getting-older/70797524007/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2024/01/10/nick-saban-seven-national-championships-ranked/72182035007/

https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/sports/college/football/2024/01/11/nick-saban-replacement-alabama-football-coaching-search/72189912007/#:~:text=Nick%20Saban%20to%20ESPN%3A%20%27Last,me%20from%20a%20health%20standpoint%27&text=Simply%20put%2C%20Nick%20Saban%20decided,a%20meeting%20on%20Wednesday%20afternoon.

https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/sports/college/football/2024/01/11/nick-saban-replacement-alabama-football-coaching-search/72189912007/#:~:text=Nick%20Saban%20to%20ESPN%3A%20%27Last,me%20from%20a%20health%20standpoint%27&text=Simply%20put%2C%20Nick%20Saban%20decided,a%20meeting%20on%20Wednesday%20afternoon.