In a recent development, the lawsuit filed by Ole Miss defensive tackle DeSanto Rollins against head coach Lane Kiffin and the university has been dismissed by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Wills in the Northern District of Mississippi. The suit, which was filed last September, made claims of unequal treatment, racial and sexual discrimination, and several other allegations, stemming from Rollins’ removal from the team during a challenging period in his life.
Rollins, who is still listed on Ole Miss’s roster, asserted that Kiffin took adverse action against him based on his race when he requested a mental health break, alleging that white student-athletes did not face such consequences for similar requests. He also claimed sexual discrimination, arguing that female student-athletes faced no repercussions for seeking mental health breaks.
Additionally, Rollins stated that he was shifted from the defensive line to the offensive line (on the scout team) after refusing to enter the transfer portal. He alleged that Kiffin verbally assaulted him during a meeting in February 2023.
Despite the dismissal, Rollins intends to appeal the decision. In his lawsuit, he had sought $10 million in compensatory damages and $30 million in punitive damages.
Attorneys representing Kiffin and Ole Miss had sought the dismissal of the case in November, asserting that they were “immune” from certain claims and that the remaining allegations did not constitute grounds for relief.
In his ruling, Judge Wills pointed out that the evidence demonstrated that Rollins had the autonomy to decide when or if he would resume team activities, emphasizing that the decision rested entirely with him. He also noted that Rollins failed to show discriminatory intent in Kiffin’s alleged negligence and did not cite any constitutional rights violations.
Judge Wills rejected Rollins’ claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress, characterizing Kiffin’s conduct in the meetings as offensive and imprudent but not “beyond all possible bounds of decency.”
The lawsuit had gained attention partly due to a recorded meeting on March 21, 2023, in which Kiffin could be heard telling Rollins, “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.”
This meeting followed Rollins’ mother’s call to the school’s athletic trainer, Pat Jernigan, expressing concern about her son’s mental health. Josie Nicholson, the school’s assistant athletic director for sport psychology, had encouraged Rollins to seek counseling, leading to his subsequent meetings with Kiffin.
Despite the dismissal of the lawsuit, this case has sparked discussions regarding mental health support and the treatment of student-athletes in college football.