Zabien Brown did what an Alabama football player is supposed to do after a Crimson Tide win against Tennessee on Saturday, Oct. 18.
The Alabama sophomore cornerback, who scored on a 99-yard interception return in the Crimson Tide's 37-20 win , grabbed a cigar and "took a couple puffs." But that was all Brown could take.
"I almost threw up," Brown said, saying he let the cigar die out before throwing it in the trash.
Alabama partook in the longstanding cigar tradition well after a smoky haze covered Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday night. It's a tradition, Ryan Williams said, that allows the Crimson Tide to have "some fun together," but not one he's an expert in.
"I'm not very good at it," Williams said.
Alabama running back Daniel Hill said his first ever puff of a cigar went "pretty good," and that he looks forward to doing it again "next year."
Alabama linebacker Yhonzae Pierre, who had three sacks, admitted he doesn't smoke the cigars, but that they represent the fact that the Crimson Tide did what it was supposed to do against its rival Tennessee.
Ty Simpson doesn't smoke. And Nick Saban never did either, the Alabama quarterback said.
As he remembered the time he first learned about the cigar tradition from his former coach, Simpson put on his best Saban impression.
"I don't even smoke it," Simpson said as Saban. "I just let it sit in my mouth."
That's what Simpson did. He let the cigar sit, the representation of a job well done against Tennessee. But he's not following in the footsteps of Brown.
"I definitely am going to keep it for a while," Simpson said.
Alabama will take on South Carolina at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Oct. 25 on ABC.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football players on post-win Tennessee cigars
