While the rest of the college football world was sweating out one of the most electric finishes of the postseason, Lane Kiffin was presumably sitting back, feet up, watching his bank account grow. On Thursday night, the Ole Miss Rebels pulled off a stunner in the Sugar Bowl, taking down the Georgia Bulldogs 39-34. It was a massive win for the program, but an even bigger win for the guy who isn’t there anymore.
The Most Bizarre Contract Clause In College Football
Here is the situation: When Kiffin bolted from Oxford to take the head coaching job at LSU in December, he didn’t just negotiate a massive $91 million contract for himself. He apparently negotiated a severance package that accounts for the success of the team he left behind.
According to reports, LSU agreed to honor the bonus structure from Kiffin’s old contract. That means every time the Rebels advance in the College Football Playoff, Kiffin gets paid. He already pocketed $250,000 when Ole Miss beat Tulane. But Thursday’s upset over Georgia triggered a cool $500,000 bonus.
That’s right. LSU is writing a half-million-dollar check to their new coach because his old team is playing lights-out football without him. If the Rebels manage to beat Miami in the semifinals, that number jumps to $750,000. If they win the whole thing? Kiffin clears a cool $1 million.
Ole Miss Players Are Laughing Last
While Kiffin was busy tweeting congratulations from the safety of the internet—posting “What a great finish!!!” and “So much fun!”—the guys actually doing the work were busy proving a point.
There is a very real human element here that money can’t buy. When a coach leaves right before the playoffs, it usually destroys a locker room. Instead, it seems to have galvanized the Rebels. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who threw for 362 yards and two touchdowns, didn’t sound like a guy missing his former coach during the post-game presser.
“A lot of people did doubt us before the season, and they still doubted us when our coach left,” Chambliss said. “We just want to play ball and have fun. I think that’s showing right now.”
What’s Next for Kiffin and the Rebels?
It is the ultimate irony of the Transfer Portal and coaching carousel era. Kiffin is currently recruiting for LSU and preparing for next season in Baton Rouge. Yet, his financial fate for January is tied entirely to the grit and determination of the players he left behind in Mississippi.
The Rebels are moving on to face the Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl. For Ole Miss fans, it’s a chance at a national title. For the players, it’s a chance to prove they never needed a celebrity coach to win big. And for Kiffin? It’s a chance to make another $250,000 without lifting a finger.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
