When college football legend Nick Saban retired in January 2024, the University of Alabama was thrust into a frenzy of uncertainty and chaos. The transfer portal, operating under different rules at the time, opened immediately, leaving Alabama’s athletic department scrambling to keep its roster intact—all without a new head coach in place. But here’s where it gets controversial: according to former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, he was offered a staggering sum of over $2.5 million to leave the program during this tumultuous period. In a recent episode of the Closed on Sundays podcast with Pat Surtain II and Terrion Arnold, Milroe revealed, ‘I was offered so much money to leave. Any school I wanted to go to—more than $2.5 million. It would’ve been easy to chase the dollar sign, but I chose to stay.’ This decision wasn’t just about loyalty; it was deeply personal. Milroe was still reeling from Alabama’s Rose Bowl loss, where the game’s final play rested in his hands. ‘I’m still hurt from that,’ he admitted, ‘but I knew staying was the right choice.’ Despite the uncertainty surrounding the coaching staff and the criticism aimed at the team’s performance under new coach Kalen DeBoer, Milroe remained committed. His decision paid off: he led Alabama as the starting quarterback in 2024, throwing for 2,844 yards and 16 touchdowns, while rushing for 20 more. He was later drafted in the third round by the Seattle Seahawks, who went on to win the Super Bowl. And this is the part most people miss: while $2.5 million was a jaw-dropping offer at the time, it pales in comparison to the sums being thrown around today. For instance, Ty Simpson was reportedly offered up to $6.5 million to enter the transfer portal earlier this year, as reported by AL.com. This raises a thought-provoking question: Is the skyrocketing value of college athletes a sign of progress, or does it exploit their talents in an already chaotic system? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this is a debate worth having.
