College football analyst Josh Pate believes Lane Kiffin would strongly consider an NFL opportunity if one was offered to him, adding another layer to one of the sport’s most closely watched coaching sagas.
While on “The Colin Cowherd Podcast” Wednesday, Pate was asked whether the Ole Miss Rebels coach would entertain the idea of returning to the professional ranks.
“Yeah. I think he is,” Pate said. “I think several of them are. I think there’s some names considering the NFL that would totally and completely put jaws on the ground if the names ever got public.”
Pate said the competitive mindset required to win at the highest level of college football often overlaps with the mentality needed to succeed in the NFL. That especially applies to coaches like Kiffin, whose offensive identity and confidence might translate well on Sundays.
“You know the kind of mentality it takes to succeed at the highest level,” Pate said. “It goes hand in hand with the kind of mentality that thinks, ‘I could win in the NFL. I want to test myself against the best.’”
Pate also referenced Kiffin’s early-career stint with the Oakland Raiders, suggesting the Rebels’ coach might want another shot at the league. “You don’t think he wants to make good on that?” Pate said.
Kiffin and the Rebels are 9-1 this season, and he's 53-19 overall at Ole Miss. But he's already a popular name in the college carousel.
With Florida and LSU among the programs reportedly showing interest, would that be enough to jump in the SEC? Also, with openings now available with the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans, the NFL is a possible landing spot.
However, would Kiffin leave Oxford and what he has built? All intriguing questions that are about to be answered.
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