Texas A&M wanted Saban fined or suspended for NIL comments

Texas A&M wanted the SEC to suspend or fine Alabama coach Nick Saban for his comments that the Aggies "bought every player on their team," according to ON3's Andy Wittry.

In an email obtained by ON3, Texas A&M president Katherine Banks and athletic director Ross Bjork asked SEC commissioner Greg Sankey to punish Saban the following day after the Crimson Tide coach made the accusation in May.

"We write to express Texas A&M University's disappointment and outrage at the recent statements made by Alabama University head football coach Nick Saban that 'A&M bought every player on their team - made a deal for Name, Image, Likeness,'" Banks and Bjork wrote in the email.

"Coach Saban's statement is false, beneath the dignity of the SEC, and corrosive to the fabric of sportsmanship in college football as a whole and especially within the SEC. We expect the league to take strong, public action against coach Saban and the University of Alabama to demonstrate that such unprofessionalism and disrespect for Texas A&M's student-athletes, coaches, and the university as a whole, will not be tolerated.

"A public apology from coach Saban to coach Fisher, Aggie Football, and Texas A&M University is a good starting point, but the league should also consider monetary and participation penalties against coach Saban."

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher issued his own fiery statement soon after Saban made the claims, calling the seven-time national champion coach a "narcissist" and labeling his comments "despicable."

The SEC publicly reprimanded Saban and Fisher for their remarks but ruled that a suspension or financial penalty wasn't appropriate at the time.

Fisher later said he would move on from the public spate with his former boss, adding that he and Saban talked during the conference's recent annual spring meetings in Destin, Florida.