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Newly leaked audio from a heated exchange between Ole Miss Rebels head football coach Lane Kiffin and junior defensive tackle DeSanto Rollins includes the coach threatening to kick Rollins off the team and saying "go read your f*****g rights about mental health" amid a $40 million lawsuit.
On Wednesday (November 9), Front Office Sports published the 46-second clip of Kiffin's meeting with Rollins, 22, who filed the lawsuit against the coach and the University of Mississippi alleging racial and sexual discrimination, as well as negligence, in September. A full transcript of the interaction between Kiffin, 48, and Rollins is included below (h/t USA TODAY):
KIFFIN: If you would've come here when you kept getting messages that Head Coach wants to talk to you, and you say, 'I'm not ready to talk to him.'
ROLLINS: I wasn't.
KIFFIN: Well, what (expletive) world do you live in?
ROLLINS: I don't see why you got to be disrespectful, honestly.
KIFFIN: Get out of here. Go. Go. You're off the team. You're done. See ya. See ya.
ROLLINS: Cause I'm—
KIFFIN: See ya, go. Go. And guess what? We can kick you off the team. So go read your (expletive) rights about mental health, we can kick you off the team for not showing up. When the head coach asks to meet with you, and you don't show up for weeks? OK, we can remove you from the team. It's called being a (expletive). It's called hiding behind (expletive) and not showing up to work. When the head coach asks to meet with you and you don't show up for weeks? OK, we can remove you from the team.
The lawsuit argues that Kiffin did kick Rollins off the team and alleges the following allegations:
- Racial discrimination by Kiffin and Ole MIss
- Discrimination on the basis of disability -- or perceived disability -- by Kiffin and Ole Miss
- Sexual discrimination by Ole Miss
- Intentional affliction of emotional distress by Kiffin
- Negligence and gross negligence by Kiffin and Ole Miss.
Ole Miss is seeking dismissal of the lawsuit, arguing that Rollins is still on the team despite the heated exchange and not playing in a single game during the 2023 season and claims it never received a lawsuit. A Tort Claims Demand letter addressed to Kiffin and several top University of Mississippi officials dated May 3, 2023, was obtained by the Clarion Ledger and the university will have 21 days to respond to the complaint, according to records.
No. 9 Ole Miss will face No. 2 Georgia at Sanford Stadium on Saturday (November 11) night.