Josh Pate claims Lane Kiffin would consider an NFL coaching job

Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin is the hottest name on the coaching carousel in college football. That also applies to the pros too, with Josh Pate being the latest to reference him as a candidate who could consider the NFL.

On ‘The Colin Cowherd Podcast’ on Wednesday, Pate was asked if he thought that Kiffin would consider moving up into the National Football League. He said yes, and that he isn’t the only big-name college coach who would do the same.

“Yeah. I think he is (considering the NFL). I think several of them are. I think there’s some names considering the NFL that would totally and completely put jaws on the ground if the names ever got public. I think these guys are always considering the NFL. Now, you’d never get the truth out of most of them, but, yeah,” said Pate. “I mean, look. You know the kind of mentality it takes to succeed at the highest level of college football, especially if you specialize on a side of the ball. It goes hand in hand with the kind of mentality that thinks I could win the NFL, I could win on Sundays. I want to test myself against the best. I want to see how my offense does.”

“But, yeah, I think he would consider it,” said Pate. “I think they actively consider it all the time.”

Pate also noted a factor being Kiffin’s history in the NFL. He was unsuccessful as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders for 20 games, over a season and a half in 2007 before his midseason firing in 2008, with a record of 5-15 (.250). That could, if he is considering a return to the next level, motivate him more to want to do it.

“And, especially with Lane, like, you’ve got the Oakland Raiders chapter in his past. You don’t think he wants to make good on that?” Pate added. “Dude, I’m a believer – Saban never did it. I’m a believer that he wanted to make good on the Miami Dolphins’ part. He didn’t like all of the other extracurricular that comes along with the NFL relative to college.”

Kiffin is known to be a likely candidate for other college jobs, namely in the SEC with Florida and LSU. He has now since started to see his name come up for potentially a head coaching role in the NFL, with the New York Giants having an opening as of this week this week to go with the league’s other open job currently with the Tennessee Titans. Or, Kiffin could just remain at Ole Miss, where he has the Rebels at 9-1 overall this season and in contention for the College Football Playoff as he has become one of the school’s all-time winningest coaches at 53-19 (.736).

So, as far as making the jump from college to the pros, Pate says, for anyone considering that move, it comes down to one thing. It’s just whether they think their skillset as a coach is better suited for one level or the other.

“What I don’t know, and I think this is really what the decision comes down to, is what do you personally value the most beyond football?” Pate asked. “Like, some guys hate recruiting. They’re looking at the first exit door to get to the NFL. Others? They think it’s their wheelhouse. They think that’s one of their strongest suits. They actually love being around young people.”

Kiffin could very well remain in The ‘Sip, and this storyline leads to nothing at all as he stays as the head coach at Ole Miss. But, with nothing decided yet, Pate thinks he’ll be considering the NFL as much as he is another job elsewhere around the NCAA.

“I think he is considering it,” Pate said.