It’s not every day that a former Tennessee head coach—especially one who left in the middle of the night, figuratively speaking—has something glowing to say about the Vols. But that’s exactly what happened when Lane Kiffin, head coach at Ole Miss, dropped some unexpected praise on Tennessee and its fans during a recent podcast appearance.
Kiffin, who famously coached the Volunteers for one chaotic season back in 2009, appeared on This Past Weekend with comedian Theo Von. When asked about his favorite stadium to play in (outside of his own), Kiffin gave an answer that probably caught a lot of people off guard: Neyland Stadium.
Yep. You read that right. Lane Kiffin—public enemy No. 1 in Knoxville after bolting for USC—called Tennessee’s home field majestic.
Okay, Lane didn’t come right out and say Neyland is his favorite. In classic Kiffin fashion, he joked that his “favorite” stadium might actually be “somewhere really easy,” hinting at a less hostile road environment. But when Theo Von reframed the question and asked about the most majestic stadium in the SEC, Kiffin didn’t hesitate.
“Neyland Stadium in Tennessee is like amazing,” Kiffin said. “When we would bring recruits there, it is majestic. There you go. At night and then there’s the river and the boats.”
The truth is, Kiffin knows all too well how intense it can get inside Neyland. He’s coached in plenty of SEC environments, and still, he went out of his way to praise not just the stadium, but the experience of playing there.
Kiffin shared his return to Neyland “like a crowd storm and the hatred just kept building." That night, Ole Miss came out with a win, 31-26.
“They had a real conversation with me during the week about bulletproof vests,” Kiffin said, still sounding amused. “They had three cops with me and everything… I’m walking in and they’re chanting, ‘F--- Lane Kiffin.’ And I was like, this is awesome.”
Sure, it was chaotic. Maybe even a little dangerous. But in Kiffin’s mind, it was SEC football in its purest form—unfiltered, emotional, and unforgettable.
So, what do we make of all this?
Well, Tennessee fans might not be rushing to forgive Kiffin anytime soon. There are wounds from that 2009 season that still haven’t healed. But hearing him call Neyland the most majestic stadium in the SEC? That’s got to make the sting a little less.
Kiffin probably won’t be welcomed back with open arms anytime soon, but it’s hard not to appreciate the honesty. He didn’t have to go out of his way to praise Tennessee or its stadium, but he did. And, honestly, that's probably hard for him considering the persona he's built during his coaching career.
Tennessee and Ole Miss won’t face off in 2025, so there won’t be another round of golf balls and mustard bottles just yet. But if and when Kiffin makes his return to Rocky Top, you can bet that stadium—majestic or not—will be ready.