DeSanto Rollins, an Ole Miss defensive tackle, is suing the school and the football coach on the grounds that he was “subjected to a hostile educational environment” as a result of taking time off to focus on his mental health.
The lawsuit asserts, among other things, that Lane Kiffin, the head coach of the University of Mississippi, and Rollins were subject to racial and sexual discrimination, and that Rollins was “kicked off the football team for taking a mental break.” It also states that the university has waived fines for other student-athletes who take two weeks off for their mental health, including white female softball players.
The lawsuit, which was submitted on Thursday in the Northern District of Mississippi Oxford Division, requests $40 million in damages. The way he was treated caused Rollins, 21, emotional distress, embarrassment, and bodily discomfort.
In a phone interview with NBC News on Friday morning, Rollins stated, “It’s been hard every single day. It pains a lot to be apart from the squad, to start with.
“Whatever happened to me is not what should have happened,” he continued. “I do believe that mental wellness is crucial. People should treat it seriously, in my opinion.
According to the lawsuit, Rollins sustained a number of injuries while participating in football practices and workouts, and the Achilles tendon and knee problems he developed in 2022 made it difficult for him to walk or stand for long periods of time, which contributed to his “severe depression,” “frustration,” and “anxiety.”
The lawsuit claimed that neither the coaching staff nor anyone else at the university referred Rollins for a mental health evaluation following the injuries or subsequently, following the passing of his grandmother, with whom he was very close. Furthermore, it asserts that despite suffering a knee injury, Kiffin compelled him to participate in football practice.
The lawsuit also claims that in November, the university’s defensive line coach advised Rollins to transfer. When he objected, Kiffin allegedly demoted him from his defensive lineman position to the scout team on the offensive line in February while ranting at him in a “hostile and verbally threatening tone” and ordering him to resign if he didn’t like the re-assignment. According to the lawsuit, Rollins then informed Kiffin that he needed a mental health break “due to Kiffin’s verbal abuse and the mental anxiety, depression, and worthlessness he was feeling.”
In the month that followed, Rollins and Kiffin allegedly had another meeting when the coach chastised Rollins for “two weeks of not showing up.”
What kind of world do you live in, dude? According to the lawsuit Kiffin yelled at Rollins and later told him, “It’s called being a p—y, it’s called hiding behind s—, and it’s called not showing up to work.”
An email and phone call seeking comment from Kiffin were not immediately returned. DeSanto was never dismissed from the football team, according to an email sent out by the University of Mississippi on Friday morning. He also continues to be a student. Furthermore, he still has access to all of the benefits and services that the institution offers to student-athletes.
Rollins is still on the roster at Ole Miss.
Carroll Rhodes, the player’s attorney, praised Rollins as a “model student-athlete on and off the field” who always made the honor roll in a tort claims demand letter submitted on May 3. Rollins had gone through a mental health crisis, and interactions with Kiffin had been one of the contributing factors, according to the letter, which was written to the university chancellor, Kiffin, and others. According to the lawsuit, Kiffin and Ole Miss never replied to the letter.
Friday, Rhodes declined to comment.