Lane Kiffin Steals the Show at Endymion Parade - Before Coaching a Single Game at LSU
Lane Kiffin hasn’t coached a down for LSU yet, but he’s already made a grand entrance in Louisiana - and not through the tunnel in Tiger Stadium. On Saturday, Kiffin took center stage in the heart of New Orleans as co-grand marshal of the Endymion parade, one of Mardi Gras’ most iconic events. For a guy known as the “Portal King,” it was a fitting way to kick off a new era - with beads flying, fans cheering, and expectations sky-high.
Let’s be clear: this kind of welcome is rare. Former LSU head coach Les Miles didn’t get his Mardi Gras moment until after winning the 2007 national championship.
Kiffin? He’s getting keys to the city before spring practice even starts.
That’s not hyperbole. New Orleans’ newly elected mayor Helena Moreno literally handed Kiffin a symbolic key to the city - a gesture usually reserved for dignitaries and local legends.
She also presented him with a proclamation so large it covered half his body. The message from the city was loud and clear: bring us a national title.
And fans weren’t shy about it either. As Kiffin rolled through the streets on the Endymion float, LSU faithful shouted their hopes for a championship in 2026. This wasn’t just a party - it was a full-on coronation of the Tigers’ new head coach.
Kiffin, for his part, soaked it all in.
“I don’t know. They were just yelling at us, and we were throwing beads,” he said with a grin after the parade. “It was just great - the energy, the passion you feel from the state of Louisiana.”
That passion is something Kiffin’s already leaned into. At his introductory press conference back in December, he coined the phrase “It’s just different here.” On Saturday, he doubled down on that feeling.
“There was really no other way to say it,” he said. “It was just different. Everyone on the float was saying the same thing.”
Kiffin was joined on the float by his son Monte (nicknamed Knox), nephew Christian (aka Cookie), and a pair of LSU gymnastics stars - Haleigh Bryant and Aleah Finnegan. Bryant, a former national champion, now serves as an assistant coach for the Tigers. Finnegan, a former All-American, added even more LSU flair to the festivities.
Meanwhile, Mardi Gras legend Arthur Hardy - who’s been publishing his iconic Mardi Gras guide for five decades - served as the other co-grand marshal. But make no mistake, this was Kiffin’s moment.
Garland Gillen, WVUE-TV Fox 8’s sports managing editor, was on the scene covering the parade live. He was struck by the reception Kiffin received.
“It was unprecedented for an LSU football coach,” Gillen said. “He hasn’t coached a game yet, and he’s a co-grand marshal of Endymion. It’s amazing.”
Gillen caught up with Kiffin after the parade wrapped up inside the Superdome. Despite reports that Kiffin isn’t always comfortable in big crowds, he stuck around for interviews and mingled with fans and media alike.
“He was nice to everybody,” Gillen said. “It looked like he was having fun.”
And while the party atmosphere was undeniable, Kiffin also made it clear that the work is about to begin. Spring practice opens March 24, and the Tigers’ new head coach knows the clock is ticking.
“We’re excited to get back to work after the holiday,” he said.
For now, though, Kiffin’s already won over the city of New Orleans - and maybe a good chunk of Louisiana - without calling a single play. The beads have been thrown, the floats have rolled, and the message is out: LSU fans are ready for a new chapter. And they’re hoping it ends with a championship parade of a very different kind.