Ole Miss coach responds to player’s mental health lawsuit

Update:

• The head football coach at the University of Mississippi told a federal court earlier this month he did not kick a player off the team for requesting mental health leave. 
• Lane Kiffin, the head football coach at Ole Miss, argues he did not remove student athlete DeSanto Rollins from the football team and that Rollins ignored invitations to resume participating in team activities. 
• Kiffin argues he specifically told Rollins to “take as long as you want/need” after he made a mental health break request. 
• Rollins, in a $40 million complaint filed in September, claims Kiffin and the university are guilty of negligence, infliction of emotional distress, racial discrimination and violating the Americans with Disabilities Act for allegedly ignoring his mental health. 

University of Mississippi lawsuit overview: 

• Who: University of Mississippi football player DeSanto Rollins filed a lawsuit against Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin, individually and in his role as head coach, along with the University of Mississippi and 10 unnamed John Does. 
• Why: Rollins claims that he voiced mental health issues that were not properly addressed by University of Mississippi football staff and he was instead punished for those issues.
• Where: The Rollins mental health lawsuit was filed in federal court in Mississippi.

(Sept. 21, 2023)

University of Mississippi football player DeSanto Rollins filed a lawsuit against Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin, individually and in his role as head coach, along with the University of Mississippi and 10 unnamed John Does for their role in improperly handling Rollins’ admission that he was having mental health issues and needed a break.

Rollins said the issues came after he sustained a concussion and multiple other injuries while playing football for the Rebels. Rollins said Kiffin kicked him off the team because he asked for a mental health break and was suffering from depression, anxiety and mental stress.

“Go, go, and guess what, we can kick you off the team, so go read your (expletive) 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, OK, we can remove you from the team,” Kiffin said to Rollins, according to the lawsuit.

Mental health issues came after injuries, death of grandmother, University of Mississippi lawsuit says

Kiffin created a hostile environment when Rollins asked for a mental health break and he has never kicked a white player off the team for requesting a break, the lawsuit claims.

Instead, that white player was allowed to return. Rollins said his mental health issues came after a concussion, achilles’ injury, aggravated a previous lateral collateral ligament (LCL) tear in his knee and the death of grandmother.

There have been several other lawsuits involving sports this year, including claims involving wheelchair-accessible seating, trademark infringement, wage suppression and a failure to provide athletic scholarships. 

Have you spoken about a mental health issue that was ignored by your work? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Carroll Rhodes of the Law Offices of Carroll Rhodes. 

The University of Mississippi mental health lawsuit is Rollins v. Kiffin, et al., Case No. 3:23-cv-00356-GHD-RP, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, Oxford Division.

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