They say you never fully appreciate your parents until you become one yourself.

For former Alabama quarterback Blake Sims, that moment of realization came not with children of his own, but with a whistle around his neck. One day into his first college coaching job, Sims called Nick Saban with two simple words: “I’m sorry.”

Speaking on “The Dynasty Podcast,” Sims recalled his first day coaching at the University of West Alabama, where he served as the Tigers’ wide receivers coach.

It did not take long for him to realize how much patience the job required.

“My first day at West Alabama, I called coach Saban, and I was like, I’m sorry for everything I put you through,” Sims said. “These kids is driving me crazy. I have a gray hair in my chin. I’m like, I’m sorry, man.”

Sims said Saban laughed before offering his former quarterback a little advice.

“He’s just like, see, you serve your head coach, serve your offensive coordinator, and make his job easier,” Sims said. “And I’m like, all right. And he just hung up. He don’t say bye.”

For Alabama fans, it is an exchange that is easy to picture.

Sims played four seasons for the Crimson Tide, spending his first three years as a running back and backup quarterback before winning the starting job as a senior in 2014, according to Holmes Community College.

In 14 starts that season, the Gainesville, Georgia, native passed for 3,487 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also broke Alabama’s single-season passing yardage record, previously held by AJ McCarron, and helped lead the Crimson Tide to the inaugural College Football Playoff.

After Alabama, Sims continued his playing career with stops in the Canadian Football League, the Alliance of American Football and the Indoor Football League. He also spent time with the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before retiring from professional football.

His coaching career included a position as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Mt. Bethel Christian Academy in Marietta, Georgia, before he joined the staff at West Alabama.

Sometimes all it takes is stepping into someone else’s shoes to understand their point of view. After years of hearing instructions from the sideline, Sims spent one day giving them instead.

It was enough to make him see his former coach in a whole new light — and enough to inspire a phone call to Nick Saban.

Sims is now continuing his coaching career at Holmes Community College in Mississippi. The college announced July 13 that he had joined the Bulldogs’ staff as an offensive assistant coach working with the quarterbacks.

And if one of his players calls years from now to apologize, Sims will probably know exactly why.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].