With Auburn's victory secure, Nick Brahms was walking across the Jordan-Hare Stadium field, shaking hands with both teams, when a Mercer play burst his bubble just a little bit.

"He was like, 'Good game, coach,'" Brahms said with a laugh. "That was a little upsetting."

Yes, this wasn't what the former Auburn center imagined heading into fall camp as he decided to return for another season in a Tigers uniform. Instead of lining up and snapping the ball to the quarterback, Brahms was dressed in coach apparel, holding a binder while helping his former teammates with any questions they might have had.

Brahms said that the decision to hang up the cleats didn't come easy. A lot of long nights, discussions with Auburn coaches and self-reflection for weeks went into the conclusion that his football career was over. The Navarre, Fla., native felt that when he tried to go through reps, sensing that he wouldn't be able to play effectively.

"As an older player, you know what it's supposed to look like, and it just wasn't at that for me," Brahms said. "So I just had to make that decision."

That conclusion was greatly supported by everyone around Brahms, which he admits means a lot to him and that they have his back. While helping out with the football team, he's also working as a flight instructor – he graduated with a degree in aviation in December 2020 – at the Auburn airport. He only has two students right now, but that number will be higher in the spring once the season ends.

As far as his future, Brahms has been accepted into the Delta Propel Program, which gives young pilots a faster path to gaining employment with the airline. He first has to finish his 1,250 flying hours before he will join a regional airline. Then, after three years, he will be eligible to start flying for Delta.

So the question had to be asked: is it more pressure to land a plane or play center in the SEC? It depends, Brahms answered.

"If you're trying to land in a thunderstorm, that's pretty high pressure," he said. "You always got that go-around, though, so you could always go around and try it again. So, it's really not a one-chance kind of thing, but they're pretty similar, I would say … There's a lot of correlation between flying and football, pressure-wise."

When it comes to teaching how to play offensive line or flying, though, Brahms is almost certain which is simpler.

"Probably easier to teach flying," he said. "Because I've seen Coach Friend repeat himself about 100 times, and guys still do the same thing. Craps flying everywhere, you kind of revert back to what you always do, so it's hard to break those habits. In flying, it's kind of a controlled environment."

That might be the case, but Bryan Harsin appreciates what Brahms has meant to this team despite being unable to play.

"I think that's the one thing that I respect the most out of anything from people is when they make a commitment, they're going to do what they can to try to uphold that commitment," the Auburn coach said. "I think he's showing that."

And, as Harsin pointed out, football comes to an end for everyone at some point. It's how you make the transition when it is over. Harsin is positive that Brahms will be as prosperous in his career as he was on the field.

"He's going to be very successful outside of football," the coach said. "It's exactly why we all think he's a great teammate because he's out there still helping guys out. That's something I respect and admire, and I know his teammates do. But that's Nick Brahms for you."