Kylin Hill says he ‘won’t represent the state’ unless Mississippi flag is changed

One of the SEC’s top returning players is threatening to sit out if changes aren’t made with his state’s official flag.

Mississippi State running back Kylin Hill is arguably the best returning back in the SEC this year. However, Hill says he won’t play another down of football if the state of Mississippi doesn’t change its flag, which includes the Confederate emblem.

Hill led the SEC in regular-season rushing last year with 1,350 yards to go with 10 touchdowns. He ran for 120 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ win over Kentucky and will be one of the best players the Cats face next season. That is, if he’s even on the field for the Bulldogs, which is no longer a certainty based on his statement.

The Confederate flag has been a hot topic in sports as of late. NASCAR recently made the decision to ban Confederate flags from its races.

The NCAA, as well as Conference USA and the SEC, have all said they won’t hold championship events in Mississippi unless the flag is changed, so Hill isn’t even the first person to strongly speak out against the state’s flag, though he is the first athlete to say he won’t play as long as the current flag stands.

It’s unclear if Hill would transfer to another program or simply sit out altogether for his final season if the flag doesn’t change. This will be something to monitor within the SEC as the new season is just over two months away.