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By Bryan Colbert Jr.
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Kamario Taylor says his decision to return to Mississippi State was settled long before the public learned about his lucrative agreement.
The Bulldogs quarterback appeared on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” on Thursday and explained why he is staying in Starkville for the 2027 season. After reports of a $7.5 million deal, Taylor emphasized his connection to the program and his determination to finish a season’s worth of work that an injury interrupted.
“The decision was already made in all honesty. There was never a doubt in my mind, there was never even options for me to leave here,” Taylor said in the interview shared by SportsCenter.
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His comments followed Wednesday’s announcement that he would return. On3’s Chris Low and Pete Nakos reported the agreement was worth $7.5 million, with incentives potentially pushing its value to approximately $9 million. The reported terms would make Taylor college football’s highest-paid quarterback.
Taylor’s explanation Thursday centered on the people who supported him. He credited Mississippi State’s coaches and teammates with believing in him throughout the transfer speculation that accompanied his breakout season.
He also pointed to a lesson from his mother.
“My mom was always big on you gotta finish whatever you start. I started something this year that I didn’t finish,” Taylor said.
That unfinished business began with one of the most promising starts Mississippi State has produced in recent seasons. Taylor helped the Bulldogs open 4-0 and reach No. 16 in the Associated Press poll before a foot injury disrupted his sophomore campaign.
He finished with 1,460 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions in six appearances, completing 65.4 percent of his passes.
Taylor initially suffered the injury against Missouri. He played against Alabama, missed the LSU game and attempted another return against Oklahoma before Mississippi State announced Oct. 27 that he needed season-ending surgery. The school said he was expected to make a full recovery.
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In his return announcement Wednesday, Taylor said his recovery was progressing as planned. He also expressed confidence in coach Jeff Lebby and thanked athletic director Zac Selmon and university leadership for their commitment to the program.
“I can’t wait to play for Coach Lebby in 2027,” Taylor said. “He believed in me from day one.”
The agreement gives Mississippi State certainty about its quarterback as it prepares for next season. Taylor’s remarks explain what he wants to do with that opportunity: return healthy, reward the people who stayed behind him and complete the work he believes he started in Starkville.
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