Lane Kiffin’s move to LSU is already paying off - and not just in Baton Rouge.
Thanks to a unique clause in his new contract, the Tigers’ new head coach just pocketed an extra $250,000 after Ole Miss, his former team, steamrolled Tulane 41-10 in the opening round of the College Football Playoff. That’s right - Kiffin is cashing in on wins he didn’t even coach.
Here’s how it works: LSU matched the postseason bonus structure Kiffin had in place at Ole Miss, essentially ensuring he wouldn’t lose out on any potential playoff incentives by taking the job in Baton Rouge. So every time the Rebels win in the CFP, Kiffin gets paid - even though he’s now wearing purple and gold.
And this is just the beginning. If Ole Miss keeps winning, Kiffin could earn up to $1 million from his former team's playoff run. That’s a rare win-win in college football’s high-stakes coaching carousel.
Kiffin’s full deal with LSU is worth $91 million over seven years, giving him an average annual salary of $13 million - second only to Georgia’s Kirby Smart. It’s a massive leap from the $9 million he was making in Oxford, and the contract also includes an escalator clause that could make him the highest-paid coach in the country if he leads LSU to a national title.
Looking back, Kiffin’s six-year run at Ole Miss was one of the most successful stretches in program history. He went 55-19 overall, with a 32-17 mark in the SEC.
After a .500 debut season in 2020, he flipped the switch and turned the Rebels into a consistent force. Over the next five years, Ole Miss went 50-14, posted four double-digit win seasons, won the Peach Bowl in 2023, and broke through with a CFP berth this year.
Over the past three seasons alone, the Rebels were 32-6 under Kiffin - a run that put them firmly on the national radar.
Now, with Kiffin at LSU, Pete Golding has stepped into the spotlight in Oxford. And he couldn’t have asked for a better debut. The Rebels’ dominant win over Tulane not only kept their championship hopes alive, but also gave their former coach a nice little bonus along the way.
So while Kiffin’s focus is on building a contender at LSU, don’t be surprised if he’s quietly rooting for his old squad to keep rolling. After all, every Rebels win brings him one step closer to another big payday - even if he’s no longer calling the shots in Oxford.