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SAN FRANCISCO – Lane Kiffin stirred controversy when he decided to leave Ole Miss for LSU.
Kiffin instantly became the most hated man in Oxford after leaving the Rebels high and dry just as the College Football Playoff was set to begin, accepting a contract reportedly worth nearly $100 million.
One of Kiffin’s former Ole Miss quarterbacks, however, respected the coach’s decision.
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Jaxson Dart of the Mississippi Rebels celebrates after being named MVP alongside Head coach Lane Kiffin (R) after the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against the Duke Blue Devils at EverBank Stadium on Jan. 2, 2025, in Jacksonville, Florida. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
“I understand it was a hard decision for him,” New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart said to Fox News Digital on radio row.
“Just because of all that was kind of offered at LSU. I have my relationship and my ties are at Ole Miss. So I’m excited for the future of Ole Miss and Pete [Golding] and the way that the organization and program are going to go, but I also have a lot of love for coach Kiff and know that he’s going to do a good job as well.”
Dart’s Giants, of course, had their own head coaching search, but Dart said he did not put Kiffin’s name in the hat. He is, however, ecstatic about John Harbaugh.
New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh speaks at the press conference announcing his hiring at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. (Ed Mulholland/Imagn Images)
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“Obviously he was the hottest name out there on the market, and, he was the guy that we all wanted,” Dart said of his new head coach. “So when we heard and had the opportunity that we were going to get to play for him, everybody was excited and fired up about it. I just think that his who he is as a person and his identity is something that’s very respected amongst the league.
“From the conversations that I had, he views the game the exact same way that I do that we do, and, you know, can’t wait to get this thing rolling in the right direction.”
New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh speaks to the media after being introduced during a news conference at the team’s NFL football training facility. The event took place in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (Adam Hunger/AP Photo)
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The Giants fired Brian Daboll during the season after numerous blown fourth-quarter leads. Harbaugh was let go by the Baltimore Ravens after 18 seasons.
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