Why Kamario Taylor said there was no doubt he'd return to Mississippi State football
· Yahoo Sports
STARKVILLE – Kamario Taylor made an appearance on ESPN's "SportsCenter" on Nov. 12, one day after the star quarterback announced he'll return to Mississippi State football next season.
Taylor was asked a range of questions, but his decision to return to the Bulldogs was at the forefront. He said there was no doubt that he'd be back with the Bulldogs in 2027.
Visit tr-sport.bond for more information.
Taylor isn't eligible for the NFL draft until 2028, so his two options were to transfer or come back to MSU as a junior.
"The decision was already made," Taylor said. "It was never a doubt in my mind. It was never an option for me to leave. So, I'm just blessed with the opportunity, blessed around this good staff, blessed around my great teammates. They just stuck with me through it all and believed in me throughout it all, like, throughout hearing everything that they were hearing about speculations about transferring. They knew me and know I bleed maroon and white."
Taylor is out for the season after undergoing foot surgery on Oct. 28. The Bulldogs (4-5, 2-5 SEC) are on a five-game losing streak since he first got injured ahead of their game against Auburn (5-4, 3-4) at Davis Wade Stadium on Nov. 14 (11 a.m., ESPN2).
Taylor also said he felt he had unfinished business at Mississippi State since his season was cut short by the injury.
"My mom is always big on you got to finish whatever you start," Taylor said. "I started something this year that I didn't finish. It was part of my plan for me to just come back and just dominate and do everything I got to do for this team and do everything for this program."
Two games remain in the regular season against Tennessee Tech and Ole Miss after Auburn, but Taylor will provide the pillar for next season's roster construction.
According to USA TODAY, Taylor is set to make at least $7 million next season.
MSU will now be tasked with building a strong roster around Taylor. Signing day is Dec. 2 and the transfer portal opens Jan. 4.
"Next season, we're going to try to dominate every single game," Taylor said. "We're going to try to take advantage of every opportunity we get on the field. We're going to get some guys. We got a good amount of guys on the roster and we are trying to re-sign a lot of key players, trying to get those guys back in the boat.
"Just knowing that (Coach Jeff) Lebby is here, like I said last year on my interview, when people have that conversation with him and have that big talk with him, he's a very genuine guy. He's going to let you know what it is and what it ain't, and they're gonna love it and love their decision they make."
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Why Kamario Taylor said there was no doubt he'd return to Mississippi State football