Nick Saban's longtime right-hand man is leaving the Alabama program.

Joe Pendry, the former Crimson Tide offensive line coach who has been a special adviser and NFL liaison for the Tide in recent years, is retiring, sources told AL.com.

A longtime close friend and trusted confidant of Saban, Pendry first joined Alabama in 2007 as part of Saban's original Tide staff and moved into that off-field role after retiring from coaching in 2011.

"He was a great offensive line coach here and did a great job recruiting guys to come here as offensive linemen," Saban said of Pendry in 2016. "Even after he retired, he has been a very valuable part of making sure -- as coaches -- we are doing things fundamentally the way they need to be done so we can help our players grow and develop. He is a great friend who is very much trusted by myself and everyone in this organization as the grandfather, so to speak, of this is how we need to do it right."

This looks to be the end of an accomplished career for the soon-to-be 71-year old Pendry, who began coaching in 1971 and has been a high-ranking assistant in both college football and the NFL while also once serving as the head coach of the USFL's Pittsburgh Maulers.

Before joining the Alabama staff, Pendry spent the previous 21 years working in the NFL, including stints as an offensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns (1985), Kansas City Chiefs (1989-92), Carolina Panthers (1995-97) and Buffalo Bills (1998-2000).

His behind the scenes contributions in recent years were so valued that he was paid $181,380 last year, according to Alabama's financial database.

"There's very little that he hasn't already done and doesn't already know the holes in it because of his experience," former Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain told AL.com in 2016. "That was great because when we would do something install-wise, he was able to say, 'OK, here are a couple things that are going to hurt it, so we've got to be aware of that.'"

Matt Zenitz is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mzenitz.