For many, a divorce means an irreconcilable end to a relationship. But for LSU Tigers’ head coach Lane Kiffin, it was a learning opportunity. He got back with his ex-wife, Layla Kiffin, last year after their 2016 divorce, but during the break, Lane Kiffin gave his her full access to his earnings. And now, he has publicly defended the decision.

“She put up with me and [is an] awesome mother to my three children. Why wouldn’t I share it with her???” Kiffin shared a story on his Instagram on Sunday, May 10, 2026.

He admitted to sharing a bank account with her and went ahead to unashamedly state reasons for doing so. Kiffin’s post came with a quote from Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who also claimed that his ex-wife, Renee Portnoy, has full access to his bank account and that she deserved it better than anyone in the world.

Dave and Renee Portnoy had a marriage that lasted from 2009 to 2017. Despite separating nine years ago, the couple is not officially divorced. But his reasons for giving her access are beyond that. It is a symbol of his appreciation to her for her involvement in his early days when he had nothing, and how she “rode the grind up” with him. He also acknowledged her frugality as a reason for the trust.

It is quite different for the Kiffins, who divorced after 12 years of marriage. Per TMZ, “Layla’s divorce filing back on March 4, 2016, in Los Angeles, seeking joint legal custody and primary physical custody. Lane called the split mutual and pledged amicable co-parenting”. They have three children: Landry, Preley, and Knox.

During his early years, Kiffin had quite a reckless lifestyle, as he was a problem drinker with a preference for beer, then vodka. The divorce happened while he was the offensive coordinator in Alabama. But he soon moved to Ole Miss and transformed himself while he did the same to the program. In Oxford, he accumulated a 55-19 record in six seasons from 2020 to 2025. But most importantly, he worked on himself and became a better man.

Discussing his growth with ESPN in 2024, he narrated that he highlighted journaling as part of the habits he picked up, and shared an entry with an excerpt from Alcoholics Anonymous.

“Ego was being replaced with self-respect, resentment and hatred were being replaced with tolerance and understanding.”

It was around this period that rumors began to spread regarding him and Layla reconciling. The pair were seen together several times, with Kiffin posting photos of her, including a holiday trip to New York. He further fuelled the reunion talks when he posted a photo of Layla on his Instagram page, before eventually confirming that they are back together. Layla also moved to Oxford before Kiffin left Ole Miss.

Lane Kiffin opens up on his alcoholic past

In an interview published by Vanity Fair, he explained that his drinking was one of the biggest problems he struggled with in the past, ultimately causing his divorce from Layla. However, Kiffin became sober in 2021 and lost about 45 pounds afterwards.

“My whole drive when I was younger was like, How fast can I get everything? How fast can I get the big job? The big contract?” Kiffin, 51, said. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve tried to work on that, making decisions that are more delayed gratification…I got tired of digging out of hangovers, tired of digging out of situations or things I said.”

Recently, Kiffin celebrated five years of sobriety, and what better way to celebrate it than by posting an old picture of him and Layla. He then sent words of encouragement to anyone going through the same.