This week's version of the Nick Saban radio show was humming along with the usual mix of light-hearted talk and football strategy.

They talked cars and Saban recalled burning some guy off the line Wednesday night. Things turned after the midway point when a caller had a different kind of question for the Alabama football coach.

He is a veteran and the events in the NFL were on his mind. Players across the league have been protesting injustice during the national anthem. That includes former Crimson Tide star Mark Ingram.

The caller wanted to know if Saban would welcome players back to the sideline if they didn't stand for the national anthem in the NFL. Saban's answer began like it did Monday when he said he's just a football coach who doesn't have the answers to society's big problems.

Saban then went a step further.

"I don't think that what these people are doing is in any way, shape or form meant to disrespect a veteran or somebody like yourself who has so worked hard, fought so hard, sacrificed so much to have a quality of life that we want to have," Saban said.

The caller, as typical with the Saban radio show, wasn't heard after asking the initial question. Saban continued.

"One of the things that you also fought for and made sacrifices for was that we all could have the freedom to have choice in terms of what we believe, what we did, what we said," Saban said. "So, this is not something that ... look, I respect people's individual rights."

Protests across the NFL picked up after President Donald Trump suggested they should be fired for disrespecting the flag.

"I have my opinion in terms of what I would do and how I would do it and I'm not one to ever disrespect the symbols that represent the values of our country," Saban said. "But I also respect individual differences that other people have and I think they have the right to express those. Whether it's our players or somebody else, whether I agree or disagree, I think they have a right to do that."

From there, it was back to football with a question about his favorite accomplishments at Alabama.

Michael Casagrande is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande.