He's not the first former Alabama player to say so, but Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs is glad NFL practices are less intense than the ones Nick Saban runs.
Since Nick Saban took over as the head coach at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa has been an NFL pipeline. In this year's draft, the Detroit Lions tapped into the pipeline twice with running back Jahmyr Gibbs and safety Brian Branch.
The Lions had their mandatory minicamp last week, and they'll complete offseason work this week before training camp starts in July. NFL rules forbid pads at this point, as the balance between being ready for contact when that is allowed has gone the wrong direction for some people in terms of preventing injuries that could otherwise be prevented.
Playing for Saban, and meeting his standards, is a unique experience. Gibbs only experienced it for one season after transferring from Georgia Tech, but it appears that was enough for him in terms of arduous practices.
Jahmyr Gibbs glad NFL practices aren't nearly as intense as Nick Saban's practices
Via Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News, Gibbs had some pointed words about the difference between NFL practices and the sessions he experienced with Saban after last Thursday's final minicamp practice.
"Here, we get good work in, but they don't try to kill us." 😂 #Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs on the difference between an NFL practice and a Nick Saban practice pic.twitter.com/ESHNo0pSIt
— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) June 8, 2023
Via SI.com, Gibbs had a little more to say about the difference in practice intensity.
"NFL practice is different from college,” Gibbs said following minicamp practice last week. "How, like, they approach the day. What they do in their spare time and their free time. ... Saban, he’s probably hitting every day, full pads in the heat for two hours. "
Saban, and other college coaches, aren't subject to practice rules like NFL coaches are. College coaches have to weed out those who can't cut it among a huge roster, and pushing players to their brink is one way to do it (right or wrong). NFL coaches already have players who have proven they are capable to play at their level, so practices in May and June become more about mental reps. And unless shown otherwise, NFL coaches treat their players like adults. The difference is why it's a rare head coach who has success at the college level and also has success in the NFL. Saban is among the NFL failures.
Gibbs is not the first former Alabama player to note the difference between NFL practice and the sessions Saban runs, and he won't be the last. It should be noted he wasn't criticizing Saban, he just noted the difference in practice intensity and how he's feeling glad for that difference.