Ole Miss lineman DeSanto Rollins has filed a lawsuit against the University of Mississippi and head football coach Lane Kiffin for “failure to provide equal protection, racial and sexual discrimination.” He alleges unfair treatment on the basis of race and gender.
As first reported by ESPN’s Heather Dinich, Rollins claims that he was recently kicked off of the team after missing team activities, including practice, during a “mental health crisis.” Ole Miss and Kiffin (who deferred back to the statement from the university) were in opposition, and say that he is still on the team.
The statement reads:
We have not received a lawsuit. DeSanto was never removed from the football team and remains on scholarship. In addition, he continues to have the opportunity to receive all of the resources and advantages that are afforded a student-athlete at the university.
— The University of Mississippi, through a spokesperson
Rollins served as a backup defensive lineman since 2020. His career has been largely derailed due to injuries, including a concussion, lingering LCL and an Achilles. The former three-star recruit had one tackle as a true freshman and two as a third-year sophomore.
He is suing for $10 million in compensatory damages and $30 million in punitive damages. Rollins also wants to be reinstated.
Despite the lawsuit, and his ask for $40 million, he wants to return to the team.
DeSanto Rollins claims he was mistreated due to race and gender.
The case revolves around the idea that Kiffin treated him differently while on a mental health break. It says that he took measures against him that Kiffin did not for white players in similar positions. The same could be said when compared to female athletes in other sports.
Rollins filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi Oxford Division. It claims that he “suffered severe depression, anxiety, frustration, embarrassment, humiliation, a loss of sleep and loss of appetite” from the Achilles injury.”
The legal action also states that nobody in the athletic department could point Rollins in the direction of mental health resources when asked. The timeline of allegations dates back to November of 2022, which is important to note because Ole Miss’ football staff was certified in mental health in June of 2023. Kiffin has been very vocal about the topic.
Lane Kiffin was allegedly recorded without his consent.
Rollins’ lawsuit outlined a series of conversations with multiple members of the Rebels staff, including the head coach. The first took place with his defensive line coach, who allegedly encouraged him to transfer. The second was with Kiffin, who moved him from the defensive line to the scout team offensive line.
When Rollins asked whether he had a choice, he says that he was told that his other option was to quit. At that point, the 6-foot-3, 305-pound lineman stepped away from the team on Feb. 27.
Rollins and Kiffin met again next on March 21. The former says that he recorded the latter without consent. It was done legally if so.
A transcript of what Kiffin allegedly said is in the lawsuit:
Ok, you have a f—ing head coach, this is a job, guess what, if I have mental issues and I’m not diminishing them, I can’t not see my f—ing boss. When you were told again and again the head coach needs to see you, wasn’t to make you practice, wasn’t to play a position you don’t f—ing want to, ok? It was to talk to you and explain to you in the real world, ok?
So I don’t give a f— what your mom say, ok, or what you think in the real f—ing world, you show up to work, and then you say, ‘Hey, I have mental issues, I can’t do anything for two weeks, but if you change my position I won’t have mental issues.
I guarantee if we f—ing called you in and said you’re playing defense, would you have mental issues?
Rollins said that he would still have mental health issues. The exchange later continues:
DR: I mean, you’re acting like my issues aren’t real.
LK: I didn’t say they’re not real. You show up when your head — when your boss wants to meet with you. It wouldn’t have been like this. If you would’ve come here when you kept getting messages the head coach wants to talk to you, you say I’m not ready to talk to him.
DR: I wasn’t.
LK: What f—ing world do you live in?
DR: I don’t see why you have to be disrespectful, honestly.
LK: Get out of here. Go, you’re off the team. You’re done. See ya. Go. And guess what? We can kick you off the team. So go read your f—ing rights about mental health. We can kick you off the team for not showing up. When the head coach asks to meet with you and you don’t show up for weeks, we can remove you from the team. It’s called being a p—y. It’s called hiding behind s— and not showing up to work.
The full lawsuit can be found HERE.
Rollins is an honor role student who plans to graduate in December. His time on the football team has not turned out how he has hoped, and he claims mistreatment from Lane Kiffin. He will hope to return to Ole Miss after receiving $40 million in damages from Ole Miss.