Lane Kiffin Steals the Show at Endymion Parade: LSU’s New Coach Embraces the Mardi Gras Spotlight
Lane Kiffin hasn’t coached a single down for LSU yet, but if this past weekend in New Orleans was any indication, he’s already got the full attention-and expectations-of Tiger Nation.
On Saturday, Kiffin rode through the heart of the city as co-grand marshal of the Endymion parade, one of Mardi Gras’ crown jewels. The LSU faithful didn’t miss a beat.
Fans lining the streets didn’t just toss out cheers-they tossed out championship demands. “Win us a natty!”
was the unofficial chant of the night, echoing through the floats and beads as the Tigers’ new head coach soaked in the scene.
And let’s be honest-this isn’t something we’ve seen before. Les Miles had to win a national title in 2007 before he earned his Mardi Gras moment, riding in the Bacchus parade a year later.
Kiffin? He’s been in Baton Rouge for a matter of weeks and already has a key to the city of New Orleans in his hand.
Literally.
New Orleans’ newly elected mayor, Helena Moreno, presented Kiffin with the symbolic key to the city along with a decree so large it practically swallowed him whole. It was a surreal moment-an SEC coach being honored like a rock star in a city that lives and breathes football and festivity in equal measure.
Councilman Matt Willard made sure to point out that the key was to New Orleans, not Baton Rouge, but the message was clear: Louisiana is all-in on Kiffin.
And why not? The man dubbed the “Portal King” just reeled in the No. 1 transfer class in the country, bringing in 41 new players to a program that’s always just a few elite pieces away from title contention. The hype is real, and the expectations are sky-high.
When asked about the fans shouting championship hopes his way, Kiffin kept it light: “I don’t know. They were just yelling at us, and we were throwing beads,” he said with a grin. “It was just great-the energy, the passion you feel from the state of Louisiana.”
That passion isn’t new to LSU, but Kiffin’s way of embracing it is already setting a different tone. He brought family along for the ride-his son Monte (nicknamed Knox) and nephew Christian (aka Cookie) were on the float with him. So were LSU gymnastics stars Haleigh Bryant and Aleah Finnegan, both former All-Americans and now part of the program’s coaching and legacy.
Kiffin even doubled down on his now-signature phrase: “It’s just different here.” He first dropped the line during his introductory press conference on December 1, and he’s clearly sticking with it.
“There was really no other way to say it,” he told WVUE-TV’s Garland Gillen after the parade. “Everyone on the float was saying the same thing.”
Gillen, who hosted the station’s live coverage of Endymion, called the moment “unprecedented.” A new LSU coach, not even through his first spring practice, already being celebrated like a hometown hero? That’s not just different-it’s unheard of.
“He was nice to everybody,” Gillen said. “It looked like he was having fun.
We had heard he doesn’t do well in big crowds, so we didn’t know if he was going to come over and interview with us. I just grabbed him.
And he stayed for a while after. He was great.”
Kiffin, for his part, seemed genuinely energized by the experience. And while the beads and fanfare were fun, he made it clear that the real work is still ahead. Spring practice kicks off March 24, and with a reloaded roster and a fanbase already dreaming of trophies, the spotlight will only grow brighter.
For now, though, Kiffin’s first big win in Louisiana didn’t come on the field-it came rolling down Canal Street, draped in purple, gold, and the kind of Mardi Gras magic that only New Orleans can deliver.