Eli Manning breaks silence on rumors of Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss

Lane Kiffin’s Rebels are 10-1 entering the final week of the regular season, marking the most successful campaign in school history.

Ole Miss has already secured three consecutive double-digit win seasons and now sits on the verge of its first-ever College Football Playoff berth.

The team’s offense, long Kiffin’s calling card, has been among the SEC’s most explosive, averaging 37.2 points per game while pulling off comeback wins, including a recent 34-24 victory over Florida.

As a result, Kiffin’s name has circulated widely for open college football coaching jobs and even at the NFL level, most recently being linked to the New York Giants.

Speaking to Sports Illustrated, former Giants and Ole Miss QB Eli Manning said: “You just hope everything gets settled quickly, everybody being committed to winning that championship.”

NEWS: Former Ole Miss QB Eli Manning hopes ‘Things Are Settled Soon’ between Ole Miss and head coach @Lane_Kiffin.

“You just hope everything gets settled quickly, everybody being committed to winning that championship,” Manning said.

STORY: https://t.co/qYbKSoq0do
— Brad Logan (@BradLoganCOTE) November 20, 2025

Despite the on-field success, speculation about Kiffin’s next move has dominated headlines.

Florida and LSU both have head coaching vacancies after firing Billy Napier (Oct. 19) and Brian Kelly (Oct. 26).

Reports indicate LSU has made Kiffin its top target, even flying members of his family to Baton Rouge for exploratory meetings.

Florida has also been linked, with Kiffin himself noting that NIL funding is now the most important factor in evaluating coaching jobs.

While he has repeatedly deflected questions, saying he won’t discuss other opportunities during the season, the uncertainty has cast a shadow over Ole Miss’s playoff push.

Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin. — Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin walks onto the field after defeating the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Manning, who starred at Ole Miss from 2000–2003, remains one of the most influential figures in program history.

He threw for 10,119 yards and 81 touchdowns in his college career, leading the Rebels to a 10-3 record and a No. 13 AP finish in 2003.

Manning won the Maxwell Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in his senior year, cementing his place as the school’s most decorated quarterback.

His voice carries weight not only because of his NFL success with New York, but also because his 2003 team long stood as the benchmark for Ole Miss football until Kiffin’s recent rise.

As Ole Miss prepares for its rivalry game against Mississippi State and a potential playoff berth, the spotlight is as much on Lane Kiffin’s future as it is on the team’s performance.

Read More at College Football HQ