Kamario Taylor is headed back to Mississippi State in 2027, and the price tag is enormous.
According to On3Sports, the Bulldogs star quarterback is finalizing a new deal that will keep him in Starkville and make him one of the highest-paid players in college football. Per On3’s Chris Low and Pete Nakos, the agreement is worth $7.5 million per year and could climb to as much as $9 million with incentives.
Taylor’s return comes after a 2026 season that started with serious Heisman buzz and then got derailed by injury. He opened the year as Mississippi State’s full-time starter and ripped off a fast start, throwing for 1,192 yards with 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions while leading the Bulldogs to wins over Louisiana-Monroe, Minnesota on the road, South Carolina and then-No. 19 Missouri.
That 31-24 win over Missouri pushed Mississippi State to 16th in the country heading into its game against Alabama, and Taylor was being discussed as a dark horse Heisman candidate. But he suffered a turf toe injury during that Missouri game, even though he stayed on the field.
The injury clearly lingered in the weeks that followed. In Mississippi State’s 56-23 loss to Alabama, Taylor played through the issue, was sacked five times, threw two interceptions and lost a fumble early.
He was pulled in the fourth quarter and did not return. He then missed the Oct. 17 game at LSU and tried to gut it out the next week in a 23-14 loss to Oklahoma before backup Billy Parker Puckett took over.
On Oct. 27, Mississippi State announced Taylor would undergo season-ending surgery on his toe. ESPN reported that he pushed hard to keep playing, but getting healthy enough to be effective ended up mattering more than trying to fight through it.
“Nobody wants to be on that field more than Kamario,” Bulldog head coach Jeff Lebby said via ESPN. “I know how much this team means to him, and how much he means to this team. We’ll be right there with him throughout his recovery.
“He’s the ultimate teammate and competitor. ... You see it in the work he’s put in and the way our players and coaches believe in him the way they do.”
Since Taylor went down against Missouri, Mississippi State has dropped five straight. The setback also sparked speculation that the Macon, Mississippi, native and lifelong Bulldogs fan might consider the transfer portal after his breakout start.
Instead, Mississippi State appears to have locked him in with a massive deal that keeps one of the sport’s biggest names in Starkville.
Taylor’s numbers across his Mississippi State career show just how quickly he’s climbed. In 2025, he completed 55.8% of his passes for 629 yards, five touchdowns and one interception while adding 458 rushing yards and eight rushing scores. In 2026, he was up to 65.4% completions, 1,460 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns, four interceptions, 147 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.
Taylor will return to Mississippi State in 2027 with a chance to help deliver a winning season to Starkville for the first time under Jeff Lebby.
In Other News...
Panthers Injury Report Suddenly Raises A Bigger Week 10 Concern
A midweek injury report usually offers a little clarity, but Thursdays update for Carolina only added another layer of uncertainty. Left guard Damien Lewis and outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips both went from full participation on Wednesday to limited work a day later, while nine other players were able to stay on the field in full capacity as the Panthers moved deeper into Week 10 preparation.
The more concerning development was inside linebacker Bobby Okereke missing practice entirely because of a foot injury. With the week already turning into a test of depth and availability, Carolina now has to monitor whether the issue is a short-term setback or something that could affect the lineup when the Panthers get closer to game day. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Suddenly Have A Mike Tomlin Question Fans Can't Ignore
Mike Tomlins name has already started to surface in the early conversation around the next wave of NFL coaching openings, and Carolina is among the teams being mentioned. The longtime Steelers coach, now working as an NFL analyst for NBC after stepping down in Pittsburgh, has not closed the door on a return to the sideline, even if he says he has not spent much time thinking about it.
For Panthers fans, the intrigue is obvious because any serious coaching search tends to start with the biggest names available, and Tomlin still fits that category. Reports have tied him to a handful of potential vacancies, including the Jets, Cowboys, Eagles and Colts, but for now he says his attention is on broadcasting and he will weigh coaching opportunities if they come his way. [Read more 🡒]
Greg Olsen Sees One Big Reason Panthers Defense Still Feels Unsettled
The Panthers defense has been trying to find its footing all season, and Greg Olsen believes the reasons are pretty clear. In a recent interview, the former Carolina tight end pointed to the combination of injuries to key defensive players and the disruption that comes with coaching changes as major factors behind the uneven play, a familiar kind of turbulence for a unit that has had to keep adjusting on the fly.
Carolina has been navigating absences and limited availability from players such as Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson and Jaelan Phillips, even as some have started to work their way back into practice. Entering Week 10, the Panthers sit 22nd in overall defense, which underscores how much work remains before the group can look settled again. [Read more 🡒]