Kamario Taylor is headed back to Mississippi State in 2027, and the price tag is as loud as the production.
According to On3Sports, the Bulldogs 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 $9 million with incentives.
Taylor’s return comes after a 2026 season that started with Heisman chatter and ended with a toe surgery. He opened the year as Mississippi State’s full-time starter and wasted no time lighting it up, throwing for 1,192 yards with 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions as the Bulldogs raced to a 4-0 start.
The wins came against Louisiana-Monroe, Minnesota on the road, South Carolina and then-No. 19 Missouri.
That victory over Missouri pushed Mississippi State to No. 16 in the country heading into its matchup with Alabama, and Taylor was suddenly being talked about as a dark horse Heisman candidate. He suffered a turf toe injury during that game, though he stayed on the field.
The injury clearly took a toll in the 56-23 loss to Alabama. Taylor was sacked five times, threw two interceptions and lost a fumble early.
He was eventually 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 following week in a 23-14 loss to Oklahoma before being replaced by backup Billy Parker Puckett.
On Oct. 27, Mississippi State announced Taylor would undergo season-ending surgery on his toe. ESPN reported that he pushed to keep playing, but getting healthy enough to be effective became the priority.
“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 Macon, Mississippi, native grew up a lifelong Bulldogs fan, and after his fast start this season, there was plenty of speculation about whether he might hit the portal and leave.
Instead, Mississippi State appears to have locked down its star quarterback with a massive offer.
Taylor’s numbers across his Mississippi State career show just how quickly he’s risen. In 2025, he completed 55.8% of his passes for 629 yards, five touchdowns and one interception while also rushing for 458 yards and eight scores. In 2026, he improved to 65.4% completions, 1,460 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions, plus 147 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.
His new deal would also place him among the biggest earners in the sport this season, even ahead of Miami quarterback Darian Mensah based on the reported figures.
Now Taylor returns with a chance to help bring Mississippi State its first winning season under Jeff Lebby.
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