President Donald Trump Reportedly Considering Bizarre Executive Order For NIL After Meeting With Nick Saban

Donald Trump and Nick Saban (Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
President Donald Trump and legendary college football head coach Nick Saban reportedly had a serious conversation about NIL deals.

Nick Saban retired from coaching after Alabama’s 2023 season. Saban coached Toledo (1990), Michigan State (1995 to 1999), LSU (2000 to 2004) and Alabama (2007 to 2023), plus a two-year tenure with the NFL’s Miami Dolphins (2005 to 2006).

Saban has been vocal about his concerns with NIL deals for college athletes. It wasn’t until 2021 that the NCAA altered its rules, which allowed athletes to make money off their name, likeness and image.

According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Saban met with Donald Trump in Tuscaloosa and expressed his concern about NIL deals. The outlet reports that Trump is pondering the idea of signing an executive order that would limit NIL:

“The Trump administration is considering an executive order that could increase scrutiny of the explosion in payments to college athletes since 2021, after the president met with former Alabama coach Nick Saban, White House officials said.

Trump met with Saban on Thursday night when he was in Tuscaloosa to deliver the University of Alabama’s commencement address. Saban talked about “NIL” deals with Trump, telling the president how he believed the influx of money had damaged college sports…

Trump said he agreed with Saban and would look at crafting an executive order, people familiar with the meeting said. Trump told aides to begin studying what an order could say, the people said.

Saban didn’t propose ending NIL but “reforming” it, according to a person with direct knowledge of the meeting. He described how it was causing an uneven playing field, the people said, with an arms race among powerhouse schools.”

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning and former Georgia QB Carson Beck, who transferred to Miami after the 2024 season, have all signed lucrative NIL deals with several million dollars.

Nico Iamaleava left the Tennessee Volunteers last month after the two sides failed to agree on a restructured NIL deal. He wound up transferring to the UCLA Bruins, and Iamaleava certainly won’t be the last big-named NCAA quarterback to transfer because of money.

So, will Donald Trump and his administration make a change to NIL deals? Stay tuned.

Donald Trump Loves Trying To Get Involved In Sports

Donald Trump (Photo via Imagn Images)
During his first year as President, Donald Trump called for NFL teams to “fire” whichever players refused to stand for the national anthem before games. Trump has also been vocal about his disagreement with the NFL’s new kickoff rules and suggested that they don’t ban the Philadelphia Eagles’ “Tush Push” play.

So nobody should be surprised that Trump is reportedly trying to get involved in NIL deals now.