Good thing Nick Saban understands comedy. Shane Gillis can breathe a sigh of relief, not that he ever cared.

Appearing on ESPN’s College GameDay before Indiana faced Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff last Friday, the standup comic and diehard Notre Dame fan shared a viral if awkward moment with the legendary coach when he joked about Alabama football and Saban paying players.

Later in the show, seated with Saban at the show’s desk, Pat McAfee put Gillis on the spot. “You called him a cheater earlier,” McAfee said, pointing to the longtime Alabama football head coach.

“I was just joking around,” Gillis said. “I don’t think the SEC paid players, ever.”

“I’m joking,” Gillis continued, while also roasting Saban’s hat. “Is this not a fun show? It’s a serious show? Alabama Jones is very serious. Get the whip, Indy.”

Saban did not appear to be amused by the implication. The man who won six national championships with Alabama, plus another while at LSU, before retiring after the 2023 season, takes his reputation seriously and went on to explain his process.

“I do believe in integrity,” Saban said. “I always tried to run the program that way, so players had a better chance to be successful in life. We made more money in the NFL than any other school, 61 players in the league. That was how we cheated, we developed players.”

Saban appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” Friday when the host brought up the interaction, which the coach quickly brushed off as amusing. McAfee asked if Saban had discussed it with Gillis.

“Not at all,” Saban said, drawing laughs from McAfee’s crew. “I understand he’s a comedian. I guess you’ve gotta live with it. We were trying to create value for players, and I think that’s why we were able to recruit good players.

“Whether it was how many degrees they got, how many guys went in the NFL, how many guys had careers that were very productive for them. That’s why we got good players. So that speaks for itself, and that’s all there is to it.”

Saban clarified he understood what Gillis was brought to do on the ESPN set, so no hard feelings. And it helped that someone from his inner circle gave the comedian his blessing.

“He was trying to be funny, which I get it,” Saban said. “My daughter Kristen loves him, so that’s kinda soothed the soul a little bit that somebody in our family likes the guy.”

This drew a big reaction from the McAfee panel, as the host said he hopes Saban and Gillis can spend more time together in the future.

“It would be hilarious I appreciate that you were like, ‘OK, I’m done with everybody saying this is how I went about winning,‘” McAfee said. “I think he respects it as well. A magical moment from the College Football Playoff.”

Watch the full clip below.