Despite being the second-highest-paid head coach in college football, Lane Kiffin has seen his share of struggles in his illustrious collegiate career. While Kiffin became the epicenter of abrupt departures and intense criticism, many didn’t know that his personal life was going through a major metamorphosis. The LSU head coach had troubles with alcoholism and battled it gradually, as he is now 5 years sober. Taking learnings from his own struggles now, Kiffin celebrates a golfer’s personal comeback, rising from extreme drug abuse.

“It’s never too late!!! Hope this helps someone. Just put one foot in front of the other. You got this. Love this,” Kiffin wrote on his X account, celebrating golfer Anthony Kim’s career comeback. Anthony Kim at the LIV Golf Adelaide made an unexpected comeback to win the event’s crown. But Kim’s Adelaide win had more than just his golf win.

In 2012, he had stopped playing golf amid alcohol and drug addiction struggles and vanished from the sport for 12 years. The 40-year-old finally appeared in 2024, finished last, and didn’t even earn a single point. Now, Kim’s 2026 win has Lane Kiffin applauding him. It definitely would have reminded the LSU head coach of his own troubles with alcoholism and how his addiction brewed unexpected troubles.

Kiffin’s drinking issues reportedly started during his USC stint as an assistant coach and later carried over when he became the Raiders head coach in 2007. In Kiffin’s USC head coaching tenure, during the 2012 Sun Bowl, he was seen with a noticeable scrape on his head. The now-LSU head coach went to great lengths to hide it. However, later reports emerged that Kiffin suffered it after he fell at a hotel after drinking heavily.

“I just got to the point that I am not the best version of myself; I am not,” Lane Kiffin recounted. “You know we’d lose a game or win a game, and I’m going to go have drinks, eat badly, not work out, and I started gaining weight,” Kiffin said. It was only at his Ole Miss stint that the 50-year-old finally started taking tangible steps to quit alcohol with the help of his family.

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Initially, Kifffin promised not to drink, eat red meat, or eat bread for just 10 days. The effect of those 10 days was unreal for Kiffin, and he stretched that 10-day timeline further, going 17 months without alcohol. The effect of those 17 months translated to on-field success as well, and Kiffin took Ole Miss to greater heights. Apart from quitting alcohol, the LSU head coach also included hot yoga and Pilates. Impressively, Kiffin is now five years sober, as he shared his milestone.

Lane Kiffin finally becomes the best version of himself, overcoming alcoholism

Anthony Kim didn’t overcome the drug addiction alone. He had support from his daughter, Bella, and his family. Faith in God was another reason Kim battled the adversity successfully. “With God, my family, my sobriety being the key things to my life, I can go as far as I want,” Kim said. Just like Kim, overcoming the alcohol struggles couldn’t have been possible alone for Lane Kiffin. He had support from Ole Miss athletes and his daughters.

Lane’s daughter gifted him a starry heart constellation for his sobriety milestone and pushed him towards a stricter diet regimen. “Welp, 5 years ago today, I made a decision that would change my life and many others around me,” Kiffin wrote on X on January 30th. “I want to say to anyone who has something holding you back from being the best version of yourself, you can do it!! It won’t be easy at all, but I promise you it will be worth it.” Kiffin is following a commendable trajectory. 

The LSU head coach was also helped by his Ole Miss player. Former QB Matt Corral reportedly even challenged the 50-year-old during Ole Miss’ 2021 campaign to abstain from alcohol. And Kiffin kept that promise to Corral, eventually leading the Rebels to a 10-win season. Both Kiffin and Kim overcame their addiction struggles owing to the support they got from their family. That’s exactly what the LSU head coach seems to be signaling with his message.