Sources: Tide’s Steele retiring after 40-year career

Chris Low, ESPN Senior WriterJan 8, 2024, 08:33 PM ET
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- College football reporter
- Joined ESPN.com in 2007
- Graduate of the University of Tennessee

Veteran defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, who just finished his third stint at Alabama under Nick Saban, plans to retire from coaching, sources told ESPN.

Steele, who turns 66 in March, just completed his 40th year in coaching, including 13 years in the SEC. Steele was a finalist for the Broyles Award in 2017 as the top assistant in college football while the defensive coordinator at Auburn.

Alabama was second in the SEC in scoring defense this season and tied for 16th nationally (allowing 19 points per game).

Steele spent the 2022 season as Miami‘s defensive coordinator before returning to Alabama to be the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator in 2023. Steele has been a defensive coordinator for 12 of his years in coaching at five different schools — Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, LSU and Miami.

A former player at Tennessee, Steele has coached under some of the biggest names in the sport. In addition to Saban, Steele has worked under Bobby Bowden, Tom Osborne, Dabo Swinney and Johnny Majors. Steele also coached in the NFL as linebackers coach for the Carolina Panthers from 1995 to 1998 and was Baylor‘s head coach from 1999 to 2002, where he was fired after going 9-36 in four seasons.

Saban now has three openings on his coaching staff. Coleman Hutzler, who coached outside linebackers and special teams, left to be Mississippi State‘s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Holmon Wiggins, who coached receivers, left for a job at Texas A&M to be co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach.