Timeline of Nick Saban's coaching career, accomplishments

Alabama coach Nick Saban announced his retirement to the team Wednesday afternoon.

Saban coached 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa, winning six national championships and 11 SEC championships. He spent 28 seasons as a head coach at the college level.

Alabama honored Saban with a statue at the Walk of Champions outside of Bryant-Denny Stadium, unveiling the statue in April 2011 following just one of his six national titles.

• See also: ESPN reports Alabama coach Nick Saban retiring
• See also: Toomer's Corner rolled in Auburn following reports of Nick Saban's retirement

Here's a full breakdown of his coaching career, starting with his first head coaching job at Toledo.

1990: First college head coaching job

After stops as an assistant coach with Kent State, Syracuse, West Virginia, Ohio State, Navy, Michigan State and the Houston Oilers, Saban got his first head coaching opportunity with Toledo. In one season with the Rockets, Saban led Toledo to a 9-2 record, improving by three wins from the previous season.

1991-1995: First NFL job

Saban resigned from Toledo after one season to get his second job in the NFL, taking the defensive coordinator position under Bill Belichick with the Cleveland Browns. Later, as a speaker at a coaches association convention, Saban referred to these seasons as the "worst four years of his life." He returned to the college game and would not take another NFL job for another decade.

1995-1999: Move to a Power 5 program

Saban was hired by Michigan State to pull the football program out of one of its darkest stretches in program history. The Spartans did not have a winning season in four consecutive years and were sanctioned by the NCAA for recruiting violations under the previous coach. During five seasons with Michigan State, Saban led the Spartans to four bowl appearances but did not win one from the sideline.

During the 1999 season, Michigan State rose as high as No. 5 in the AP Poll and finished the season with a 10-2 record which included a win over Florida in the Citrus Bowl. Saban did not coach in the bowl game after accepting a job with LSU following the regular season. He compiled a 34-24 record in five seasons, never having a losing season.

1999-2004: SEC debut, first national title

Saban was hired by LSU in November 1999, giving him a full offseason to prepare for his first season in Baton Rouge. He had a winning record in all five seasons with LSU including two years with a double-digit win total. In 2001, LSU won its first outright SEC Championship since 1986.

In 2003, Saban won his first national championship, leading the Tigers to a 13-1 season capped off by a win over Oklahoma in the 2003 BCS National Championship Game. The Tigers had to split the national title claim though as USC was ranked No. 1 in the final AP Poll.

In five seasons with LSU, Saban had a 48-16 record, winning three bowl games and two SEC Championships.

2004-2007: Return to NFL

Saban made the move back to the NFL on Christmas Day in 2004, agreeing to become the Miami Dolphins head coach. In two seasons with the Dolphins, Saban finished with a 15-17 record, missing the playoffs in both seasons.

2007-2008: Instant impact in Tuscaloosa

On Jan. 4, 2007, Saban was officially announced as the next head coach of Alabama, becoming the fifth person to be announced as the program's head coach since 2001. No coach since Bear Bryant retired in 1982 had lasted more than seven seasons in Tuscaloosa. Saban went 7-6 in his first season which included a win in the Independence Bowl. Five of the wins that year were later vacated by the NCAA.

In 2008, Saban led the Crimson Tide to its first SEC Championship Game appearance since 1999. The team entered Atlanta with an unbeaten record but eventually lost to Florida in the conference title game and lost to Utah in the Sugar Bowl to finish 12-2.

2009-2013: First three national championships at Alabama

Alabama won its first national championship since 1992 when Saban led the Crimson Tide to its first and only 14-0 season. The Crimson Tide got revenge against Tim Tebow and Florida in the conference championship, defeating the Gators 32-13. Alabama then defeated Texas, 37-21, in the Rose Bowl in the BCS National Championship Game.

After a 10-3 season in 2010, the Crimson Tide bounced back to win consecutive national championships for the first time since 1978-79. After losing the Game of the Century against LSU in Tuscaloosa during the regular season, Alabama was given a second chance at the Tigers in the BCS National Championship and the Crimson Tide took advantage. Alabama took down LSU, 21-0, claiming its second title under Saban.

Alabama suffered another regular season loss in 2012, falling to Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The team then reeled off four straight wins to end the year, which included a win over Georgia in the SEC Championship Game to help secure a spot in the title game. Alabama dominated the championship game, defeating Notre Dame, 42-14, in the Orange Bowl in Miami.

In 2013, Alabama could not make up for its regular season loss, losing in the Iron Bowl on the Kick Six in the regular season finale. The result since Auburn to the SEC Championship Game and into the national title where Florida State defeated the Tigers.

2014-2018: Start of playoff era, rivalry with Clemson

After just missing out on making the national championship game in 2014, Alabama got to participate in the first ever four-team College Football Playoff for the FBS level. After winning the SEC Championship Game against Missouri, Alabama was the top-seed in the playoff. However, the Crimson Tide lost to third-string quarterback Cardale Jones and future NFL star running back Ezekiel Elliott who led Ohio State to a win in the semifinal.

Alabama made four consecutive appearances in the College Football Playoff. In 2015, Alabama overcame a regular season loss to Ole Miss to win the SEC Championship. The Crimson Tide went on to beat Michigan State and Clemson in the College Football Playoff.

The following season, Alabama won 14 consecutive games to open the season, setting up a rematch with Clemson in the national championship game. However, the Tigers got revenge this time as Deshaun Watson threw a touchdown pass in the final seconds to defeat the Crimson Tide.

In 2017, Alabama opened with 11 straight wins again but lost in Auburn. However, the Tigers' loss in the SEC Championship Game opened the door for the Crimson Tide to make the playoff again. The Crimson Tide defeated Clemson in the semifinal. In the championship game, Tua Tagovailoa came in for Jalen Hurts to lead Alabama to a 26-23 overtime win over Georgia. Tagovailoa's touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith in overtime secured the title.

Clemson spoiled Alabama's next chance at its first 15-0 season, defeating the Crimson Tide 44-16 in the championship game. Alabama still won the 2018 SEC Championship Game, which included Hurts entering for an injured Tagovailoa to lead to comeback win over Georgia.

2019-2023: Final championship with Alabama

In 2019, Alabama suffered one-possession losses to LSU and Auburn. The Crimson Tide finished with a 11-2 record which included a win over Michigan in the Citrus Bowl.

Alabama played 13 games in a shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Crimson Tide finished with its second unbeaten season in the Saban era. Alabama defeated Florida, 52-46, in the SEC Championship Game before taking down Notre Dame in the semifinal. The Crimson Tide took down Ohio State, 52-24, to claim Saban's final national championship in Tuscaloosa.

The Crimson Tide did not win a national championship in the last three seasons under Saban, the program's longest drought since 2009.

In 2021, Alabama defeated Georgia in the SEC Championship but fell to the Bulldogs in a rematch in the national title game. In 2022, Alabama lost to Tennessee and LSU in the regular season before finishing with a 45-20 win over Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl.

After losing to Texas in Tuscaloosa in the second week of the 2023 season, Alabama reeled off 11 consecutive wins including an upset win over No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. That result secured a spot in the College Football Playoff where the Crimson Tide lost in overtime to Michigan in what may ultimately be Saban's final game as a head coach.