Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin addressed the reports of an ultimatum handed down by the university regarding his future.
Lane Kiffin Addresses Report of an Ultimatum
Kiffin’s future in college football is one of the biggest storylines in the sport.
Ole Miss is 10-1, with a real shot at making the College Football Playoff. Even though he remains at Ole Miss, Kiffin’s name has been linked to the coaching vacancies at LSU and Florida.
On Monday, The Athletic reported that Ole Miss has given Kiffin an ultimatum to decide his future before the game against Mississippi State on November 28. The rivalry game is also known as the Egg Bowl.
On Tuesday, Kiffin appeared on The Pat McAfee Show to deny The Athletic’s report.
“Yeah, that’s absolutely not true. There’s been no ultimatum, anything like that at all,” Kiffin said. “And so I don’t know where that came from, like a lot of stuff that comes out there. Like I said, we’re having a blast. I love it here.”
Kiffin did not say whether he would remain at Ole Miss past this season. Instead, Kiffin is choosing his words carefully and focusing on the present.
“You’re 10-1, you’re getting ready, you’ve got a bye week, you get to watch half the country lose — and there’s no way we can lose Saturday,” Kiffin said. “And then you play the Egg Bowl and go dominate that and keep that Egg Bowl trophy home where it’s been for a long time.”
LSU and Florida are Courting Lane Kiffin
Make no mistake, LSU and Florida are courting Kiffin to be their next head coach.
According to ESPN, members of Kiffin’s family visited Gainesville, Florida, on Sunday, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Monday. Kiffin was not present for either visit.
ESPN also reported that Ole Miss wants an answer from Kiffin soon so they can prepare for the College Football Playoff and potentially a coaching change if Kiffin leaves.
Money, specifically salary and NIL, will play a significant role in Kiffin’s decision.
Kiffin currently has an annual salary of $9 million, with the potential to earn a total of $11.6 million due to bonuses. Kiffin is the fifth-highest paid SEC coach behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart ($13.3 million), Texas‘ Steve Sarkisian ($10.8 million), and Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer ($10.3 million). Former LSU coach Brian Kelly earned $10.2 million annually before getting fired.
Whatever Kiffin decides, one thing is certain: his annual salary for 2026 will increase.
