Eli Manning, a former star at Ole Miss, playfully responded to claims made by new LSU head coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin stated that some Rebels fans attempted to run him off the road while he was heading to Baton Rouge from Mississippi State on Sunday.
“Oops!” the 44-year-old Manning joked in a tweet. The tweet highlighted the news around the alleged incident.
Manning, who was quarterback at Ole Miss from 2000 to 2003 and had his No. 10 jersey retired, has a legacy from his days there. His father, Archie Manning, also enjoyed a significant career with the Rebels in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The situation escalated at Kiffin’s first press conference when he addressed the crowd’s mixed reactions as he left Oxford. He mentioned that some fans tried to run him and his 16-year-old son, Knox, off the road while they were on their way to the airport.
“It was really hard and really challenging,” Kiffin remarked at Tiger Stadium. “This is SEC passion. I understand that. I don’t get emotional about it…”
He continued, recalling the tension of the airport incident, stating how people were reacting strongly. Interestingly, he also noted that it only took six minutes after arriving in Baton Rouge for fans to express their support for him.
“That’s the SEC, and I know that because I’ve been here a long time, but that’s just the passion of the SEC,” Kiffin said.
After leading the Rebels to a notable 38-19 victory in the Egg Bowl, Kiffin announced on Sunday, through social media, his decision to join LSU. He described it as a family decision after six impactful seasons at Ole Miss.
Kiffin secured a seven-year contract with LSU, reportedly worth $13 million each year, as the Tigers actively pursued him following the firing of Brian Kelly in October. Ole Miss has since appointed defensive coordinator Pete Golding as the permanent head coach.
