Lane Kiffin set the college football world on fire when he decided to leave Ole Miss and head to LSU. In one of the biggest coaching moves in recent memory, Kiffin left the Rebels right as they were about to compete in the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.
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While Kiffin isn't coaching on the sidelines, he is still happy to see Ole Miss go on its impressive CFP run. Ole Miss defeated Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday, and is now set to battle Miami (FL) in the CFP Semifinal on January 8. With the win, Kiffin pocketed yet another huge performance bonus.
According to Front Office Sports, Kiffin's 2025 performance bonus now sits at $500,000. He received $250k for Ole Miss' win over Tulane in the first round of the CFP, and another $250k for Thursday's quarterfinal win over Georgia.
Lane Kiffin will now make at least $500k in performance-based bonuses for Ole Miss’ win over Georgia.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 2, 2026
LSU will foot the bill. pic.twitter.com/ndoHi4YjsJ
Lane Kiffin can earn up to $1 million during Ole Miss' CFP run
If Ole Miss keeps rolling and defeats Miami (FL) in the Fiesta Bowl, Kiffin will earn another $250k which would bring his bonus to $750,000. That number would then increase to $1 million if the Rebels go on to win the National Championship.
But Ole Miss isn't on the hook for Kiffin's bonus payouts. As a part of his new contract with the Tigers, LSU has agreed to pay all of Kiffin's postseason performance bonuses. This comes on top of the $13 million annual salary and multi-million buyout with no offset or duty to mitigate clause in his new deal.
Ole Miss fans are undoubtedly fired up after their team's latest victory, but knowing Kiffin is still benefitting from afar isn't sitting well with Rebel fans. The breakup between Kiffin and Ole Miss was a messy one, and fans even made their way to the airport to express their displeasure with Kiffin as he boarded a jet bound for Baton Rouge. Needless to say, Ole Miss fans aren't too thrilled that Kiffin is financially benefitting from their team's playoff success.
Kick-off between the Rebels and Hurricanes is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 8. Kiffin is sure to be tuned in to see if he will have another bonus increase coming his way.