Nick Saban has made it official. Hours after the bombshell news broke, Saban released a statement through Alabama announcing that he is retiring after 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide.

“The University of Alabama has been a very special place to Terry and me,” Saban said in a release. “We have enjoyed every minute of our 17 years being the head coach at Alabama as well as becoming a part of the Tuscaloosa community. It is not just about how many games we won and lost, but it’s about the legacy and how we went about it.

“We always tried to do it the right way. The goal was always to help players create more value for their future, be the best player they could be and be more successful in life because they were part of the program. Hopefully, we have done that, and we will always consider Alabama our home.”

Saban posted a 297-71-1 record in his legendary college career, which includes stops at Toledo, Michigan State and LSU, going 206-29 at Alabama. At LSU and Alabama, Saban won 11 SEC championships (2 LSU, 9 Alabama) and seven national championships (1 LSU, 6 Alabama). In between his LSU and Alabama tenures, Saban coached the Miami Dolphins, winning 15 games over two NFL seasons.

“Simply put, Nick Saban is one of the greatest coaches of all time, in any sport, and The University of Alabama is fortunate to have had him leading our football program for the past 17 seasons,” said Alabama Director of Athletics Greg Byrne. “Throughout his career as a head coach, his teams have won seven national championships, 11 conference championships and 312 games, and he’s developed an NCAA-record 49 NFL first-round draft picks and, most importantly, hundreds of college graduates. He is the consummate coach, mentor and leader, and his impact is felt far beyond the football field.

“Coach Saban and Ms. Terry have touched countless lives in our community and the state of Alabama with the work they’ve done through the Nick’s Kids Foundation. While his time as our coach may have come to an end, his legacy will live on forever. What an honor it has been for us to have a front-row seat to one of the best to ever do it. A truly remarkable career for Coach Saban.”

How did Alabama land Nick Saban back in 2007? Check out Saturday Down South’s amazing “38 Days” feature on how the Tide pulled off the heist that changed college football forever.