Lane Kiffin Makes Joking Comment on NFL Star Returning to College Football

The lines between college and professional athletics have blurred in the five years since NIL was legalized.

Now that schools can directly pay their athletes, questions persist about the elements of amateurism that remain in college sports. The idea of maximizing earnings in college and the idea of earning less in the first seasons of professional sports are both keeping athletes in college longer.

Some of these athletes, particularly college football players, have defeated the NCAA in court in order to gain extra seasons of college eligibility. The rationale from these players has varied from past medical issues to the inability to earn NIL compensation during junior college football seasons.

College football has yet to experience NFL players suing for eligibility, but there have been lawsuits filed by NBA G League players attempting to return to college since their potential college earnings exceed those of the G League.

In particular, former Alabama center Charles Bediako was granted a temporary restraining order that allowed him to play five games before a decision was reached on a preliminary injunction.

The odds of NFL practice squad players attempting to return to college football are low, but recent trends in college athletics suggest the odds are not impossible. With that in mind, LSU head football coach Lane Kiffin jokingly asked former NFL wide receiver if he wanted to sue for a preliminary injunction to play for the Tigers in 2026 in a social media post on Thursday.

Good morning. Want to get an injunction @DezBryant ??? https://t.co/02dBj8qBqZ
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) February 26, 2026

Bryant played his college football under Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State from 2007 to 2009, meaning he declared for the NFL draft with one season of college eligibility left. In his three seasons with Oklahoma State, Bryant caught 147 passes for 2,425 yards and 29 touchdowns over the course of 28 games.

The Dallas Cowboys selected Bryant in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. He played 11 total seasons in the NFL, eight of which were with the Cowboys. In total, Bryant caught 537 passes for 7,506 yards and 75 touchdowns during his NFL career.

During Bryant's career with the Cowboys, Lane Kiffin's father, Monte Kiffin, was a part of the defensive staff. He was the Cowboys' defensive coordinator in 2013 and the assistant head coach for defense in 2014.

Kiffin is entering his first season at LSU following one of the more controversial offseason departures in recent memory. He left Ole Miss in November, just weeks before the Rebels embarked on their run to the College Football Playoff semifinals.