A fake social media post attributed to former Alabama running back Trent Richardson went viral this week, falsely claiming the player criticized Nick Saban’s recent comments about NIL deals.
The fabricated quote appeared to reveal Alabama had secretly paid Richardson during his recruitment years ago.
“Honestly, I don’t get why he’s even commenting on it, they gave me and my family $75,000 just to commit, plus $10,000 a month to stay at Alabama.”
The post originated from parody account No3 Sports but quickly spread across social media platforms. Many users mistook it for Richardson’s actual statement.
Several high-profile figures shared the fake quote before discovering its true source, including former NFL running back LeSean McCoy and Congressional candidate Luther Campbell.
Thank you Trent Richardson for exposing the truth. When Nick Saban and the SEC good-old-boys talk about “fixing” NIL, what they really mean is going back to the days when players allegedly got paid quietly and the NCAA was used to snitch on anyone outside their circle. The old… https://t.co/yZ0Xo2oVce
— Luther Luke Campbell (@unclelukereal1) March 8, 2026
Campbell, who’s running for Congress in Florida’s 20th district, responded strongly to what he believed was Richardson’s statement. He wrote that Saban and SEC officials want to return to an era when players “allegedly got paid quietly.”
The confusion stems from Saban’s recent appearance at a White House college sports discussion alongside Donald Trump.
During that event, the former Alabama coach criticized the current NIL system and called for structured revenue-sharing instead.
Saban argued today’s NIL environment pushes athletes to chase immediate payouts rather than focus on long-term development. He said players now prioritize the biggest available payday over building value for their futures.
Richardson played for Alabama from 2009-2011, rushing for over 3,300 yards during his career. He won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back in 2011 before declaring for the NFL Draft.
