Lane Kiffin may no longer be calling plays in Oxford, but that doesn’t mean he’s done cashing in on Ole Miss’ historic postseason run.
Even after stepping away from the Rebels to take over as LSU’s new head coach, Kiffin is still reaping the benefits of the program he helped elevate. Ole Miss rolled past Tulane, 41-10, in the First Round of the College Football Playoff - a dominant win that not only marked the school’s first-ever CFP victory but also triggered a hefty bonus for its former head coach.
According to a term sheet obtained by ESPN, Kiffin earned a $250,000 bonus for the Rebels’ win, despite not being on the sidelines. That’s right - Ole Miss advances, and Kiffin’s bank account gets a boost. And this payday might just be the beginning.
If Ole Miss can keep its postseason magic alive, Kiffin’s bonus structure could net him up to $1 million. The breakdown?
A win over Georgia in the CFP quarterfinals on New Year’s Day would bump his bonus to $500,000. If the Rebels reach the National Championship Game, that jumps to $750,000.
And should Ole Miss complete the fairytale and win it all - claiming its first CFP title - Kiffin would walk away with a cool million in postseason bonuses.
Here’s the kicker: Ole Miss isn’t paying a dime of that. As part of his new deal with LSU, the Tigers agreed to absorb Kiffin’s postseason bonus structure tied to his time at Ole Miss. That’s in addition to the $13 million annual salary and a multi-million-dollar buyout that comes with no offset or duty to mitigate - meaning LSU is all-in on Kiffin, both financially and structurally.
For Ole Miss fans, the situation is a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, their team just notched a dominant CFP win and is one step closer to a national title. On the other, the man who left them - and left under less-than-smooth circumstances - is still profiting off their success.
Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss was one of the most high-profile coaching moves in recent memory, especially coming on the heels of the best regular season in program history. He guided the Rebels to new heights, including their first-ever College Football Playoff berth. But the breakup wasn’t exactly clean, and for many in Oxford, seeing Kiffin benefit from the team’s continued success stirs up some mixed emotions.
Still, there’s no denying the impact Kiffin had in building this version of Ole Miss - a team now just two wins away from a national championship. And while he’ll be wearing purple and gold going forward, you can bet he’ll be watching closely when the Rebels take the field against Georgia on January 1 at 8:00 p.m.
ET. Not just as a fan of his former players, but as a coach with a million-dollar incentive riding on their performance.
The postseason spotlight is shining bright on Ole Miss. And somewhere in Baton Rouge, Lane Kiffin is watching - and winning.