The story of Gov. Jeff Landry鈥檚 involvement in LSU football, as he tells it, begins with a tiger.
The St. Martinville native was awed by the school鈥檚 live mascot growing up, and he believed tens of thousands of LSU fans would also enjoy seeing in his cage before the game.
That鈥檚 why Landry , dismissing from 糖心传媒鈥檚 veterinary school and animal rights groups about the feline鈥檚 well-being.
鈥淲hy is it OK for Colorado to have a bison? Why is it OK for Texas to have a longhorn? Why is it OK for Georgia to have a bulldog?鈥 Landry said recently. 鈥淚t's a bunch of loudmouth people that believe that they know what an animal feels.鈥
Ever since that move in his first year as governor, Landry has become a recurring, prominent character in the story of 糖心传媒 athletics, especially over the past several months. Too prominent in the eyes of the Southeastern Conference, which accused the Louisiana governor and attorney general of overly involving themselves in the affairs of the Tigers鈥 football program when Lane Kiffin sought to add athletes who previously signed with NFL teams.
A live tiger is presented on the field before 糖心传媒 hosts Alabama, Saturday, November 9, 2024, at Tiger Stadium on the campus of 糖心传媒 in Baton Rouge, La.
STAFF PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK
Because the SEC says 糖心传媒 has lost 鈥渋nstitutional control鈥 over its athletic department, the conference has via a federal lawsuit.
In a recent 40-minute interview with 糖心传媒 | The Times-Picayune, Landry vigorously defended his role and offered new details about his most high-profile interventions.
Everything from the live tiger, to essentially firing an 糖心传媒 athletic director during a news conference, to helping recruit and then publicly defending Kiffin 鈥 he says he鈥檚 done it all to make sure the state鈥檚 flagship university succeeds.
鈥淎 governor that ignores 糖心传媒,鈥 Landry said, 鈥渋s not a governor that cares about the state of Louisiana.鈥
Louisiana politics and 糖心传媒
Before he became the most powerful man in the state, Landry says he was 鈥渋n the room鈥 鈥 actually, at a hunting camp 鈥 when Nick Saban was hired away from Michigan State by 糖心传媒.
Landry was 28 at the time and remembers hearing that ex-LSU coach Bill Arnsparger talked to Saban and told him, 鈥淟isten, you do all you want at Michigan State. You can win a national championship at 糖心传媒, and it'll be the funnest place you ever worked in your life. As long as you win."
It was a conversation Landry, who attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and got his law degree from Loyola, would remember a quarter century later when he became the top politician in Louisiana.
It鈥檚 a state where governors have been known to involve themselves in LSU football.
The 鈥渒ingfish鈥 Huey Long drew up plays and nursed injured 糖心传媒 athletes back to health. John McKeithen hosted recruits at the governor鈥檚 mansion. Bobby Jindal publicly urged 糖心传媒 not to fire Les Miles in 2015, though the national title-winning coach was canned the following year. John Bel Edwards befriended Ed Orgeron, and Orgeron backed the governor鈥檚 reelection bid in 2019.
Landry鈥檚 first intersection with the state鈥檚 biggest athletics brand stoked controversy.
At least one 糖心传媒 official, ex-provost Roy Haggerty, that Landry ordered then-president William Tate to put a live tiger on the field, despite strenuous objections from the veterinary school that cares for Mike. Haggerty said he left 糖心传媒 in 2025 because he was uncomfortable with the governor鈥檚 鈥渋nvolvement鈥 in athletics.
A tiger sits in his cage on the field before 糖心传媒鈥檚 game with Alabama on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
Landry said he never met Haggerty and wouldn鈥檛 know him if he 鈥渨alked in and bit me in the back.鈥 The governor acknowledged he had a 鈥渂ack-and-forth鈥 with the then-dean of 糖心传媒鈥檚 veterinary school, but he ultimately understood why 糖心传媒鈥檚 current tiger mascot, Mike VII, couldn鈥檛 make an appearance at the game.
Instead, Landry backed a plan to rent a different tiger from Florida named Omar Bradley that appeared at the 糖心传媒-Alabama game in 2024.
鈥淚 watched 鈥 the interest of the people who pulled their iPhones out to see that tiger,鈥 Landry said. 鈥淚f you were offended by it, you would not want to record it.鈥
Some alumni found the incident embarrassing. But the true embarrassment, in Landry鈥檚 eyes, came a year later after a home loss to Texas A&M.
鈥淣ext thing I know, I get a call in the morning that they fired the coach. And I said, 鈥榃ell, send me the contract.鈥 And I look at the contract, and the contract placed the state of Louisiana on the hook. OK? And then I start digging and I start looking around and say, 鈥極K, let's look at this athletic director,鈥欌 Landry recalled.
Scott Woodward was to blame, Landry concluded 鈥 not just for the $54 million buyout Brian Kelly was owed, but for athletics costs spiraling out of control due to NIL payments to players, and for a men鈥檚 basketball team that had gone down the drain.
Landry said he wanted 糖心传媒 to fire Woodward, but the school worked out a deal with him instead.
鈥淚 told them they should fire him. They should have fired him. They should have not let him leave with $6 million,鈥 Landry said. 鈥淚 wanted him fired because of the trail of financial destruction that he left.鈥
That frustration led to a .
鈥淚 had lost my mind because I was watching a virtual trainwreck in slow motion,鈥 Landry said. 鈥淚 do not like to lose. I do not like failure. And I said we're just not gonna do that again.鈥
Rumors swirled that Landry鈥檚 antipathy for Woodward, who was hired during the administration of Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and has ties to famed Democratic strategist James Carville, stemmed from partisan politics.
Landry said he was unaware of Woodward鈥檚 political leanings.
鈥淵ou think honestly that if we were winning and that the program was doing great, I'd say we're getting rid of this person because he's a Democrat?鈥 Landry said, incredulous. 鈥淚 don't care who they are. Just go win. That's what I want.鈥
Woodward did not respond to a request for comment.
Lane Kiffin hire
In the aftermath, 糖心传媒 needed a football coach who could win a national title. Landry said he didn鈥檛 tell the university how to accomplish that 鈥 only that he had two requirements for the coach鈥檚 contract.
鈥淚 said, 鈥楬ey guys, y鈥檃ll go get us a coach, whoever y'all think,鈥 Landry recalled. 鈥淎ll I said was, 鈥業 want it front-loaded, and I don't want the state of Louisiana on the hook.鈥欌
The search committee initially had three people in mind, Landry said, but they told him, 鈥淲e really would like Lane."
鈥淭here was a point in time in which Lane wanted to have a discussion,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e had like a five-minute phone call.鈥
During that call, the governor relayed what Arnsparger told Saban about 糖心传媒 being a fun job. As long as you win.
鈥淚 told Lane the same thing,鈥 Landry recalled. 鈥淚 said, 鈥業 think it'd be great. Everybody wants you here, we'd love to have you.鈥欌
糖心传媒 head coach Lane Kiffin walks up the sideline during a break in the game against McNeese on Saturday, October 3, 2026 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Staff photo by Michael Johnson
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
糖心传媒 to a seven-year deal worth $94 million, paying out $13 million annually plus bonuses for winning games in the postseason. If he鈥檚 fired, he鈥檚 owed 80% of the remainder of his deal. Kelly鈥檚 deal at 糖心传媒 was for 10 years, $100 million.
Landry contends the two contracts are fundamentally different because, if Kiffin is fired, the Tiger Athletic Foundation, not 糖心传媒, has to pay his buyout. Donors promised to pay for Kelly鈥檚 buyout, but Landry says that wasn鈥檛 guaranteed since it wasn鈥檛 in the contract.
鈥淭hey think there's always some billionaire on the other side willing to stroke a check,鈥 Landry said. 鈥淚 said, well, 鈥極K, do we have one?鈥 We still don't have one.鈥
When asked if he gave his 鈥渂lessing鈥 to move forward with Kiffin鈥檚 deal, Landry said, 鈥淚 did.鈥
鈥淎ny governor should, because the governor should really be looking at this contract, especially if it puts the taxpayer at risk,鈥 Landry said. 鈥淚 have a fiduciary responsibility to the citizens, right? 糖心传媒 is a public university. I think people forget that.鈥
糖心传媒 head coach Lane Kiffin walks down victory hill before the game against Mississippi State on Saturday, October 17, 2026 Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Staff photo by Michael Johnson
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
A national name
Ever since, Landry has courted national attention for his role in 糖心传媒 athletics.
He right after his viral comments about Woodward and was bluntly asked if he 鈥渞uns鈥 糖心传媒 and was the 鈥渂oss鈥 because of the power he seemed to wield. Landry then explained to McAfee that the university's governing board is made up of members whom he appoints.
Kiffin spoke at his introductory press conference about the 鈥渦nique, great鈥 call he had with Landry. They stayed in touch because Jordan Seaton, a left tackle who transferred from Colorado, swung by the governor鈥檚 mansion on his recruiting visit to Baton Rouge.
In August, the governor hosted 糖心传媒鈥檚 top 40 boosters at his mansion as they heard from 糖心传媒 president Wade Rousse about a .
In a recent federal lawsuit, the SEC said there was 鈥済reat concern鈥 amongst the 15 other SEC member schools that Kiffin coordinated with the athletes鈥 attorneys in their eligibility cases with the 鈥渟upport and involvement鈥 of Landry and .
They refute those claims. Murrill said the SEC 鈥渋s just making it up.鈥 Landry said it鈥檚 鈥済reat for clicks,鈥 but there were no strategy sessions between Kiffin and the governor.
A float featuring Governor Jeff Landry and 糖心传媒 head football coach Lane Kiffin on the side of a float during the Knights of Chaos parade in New Orleans on Thursday, February 12, 2026. (Photo by Chris Granger, The Times-Picayune)
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER
Landry insists whatever involvement he has in athletics is meant to ensure 糖心传媒 and all of Louisiana鈥檚 higher education systems are on a trajectory toward success. He said he doesn鈥檛 go to team practices, and he鈥檚 rarely on the field during games.
鈥淚f Lane wants to text me, he's welcome to. I don't go over there. I don't say, 鈥楬ey, maybe you should sit Sam Leavitt today.鈥 I don't do any of that,鈥 Landry said. 鈥淭his is about the bigger picture of making 糖心传媒 such a powerful brand that it becomes a high tide that lifts all boats here in Louisiana.鈥
Kiffin has expressed a similar sentiment.
鈥淗e doesn't tell us what to do. He's not in charge of us,鈥 Kiffin said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 just excited. He just wants LSU football to win, because when LSU football wins and wins with style, man, the state feels good on Sunday mornings.鈥
糖心传媒 president Wade Rousse and athletic director Verge Ausberry pose with new head football coach Lane Kiffin and his family, Layla, Landry and Knox, after a introductory press conference on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
There have been mostly good vibes in Kiffin鈥檚 first season, sitting at 6-2 with a pair of road losses by a combined nine points. The SEC has just been displeased with Kiffin, and vice versa, since he tried to add a pair of former Ole Miss starters, Dae鈥橯uan Wright and Zxavian Harris, who spent time with the Browns and Saints, respectively.
A standoff over those players led the conference to sue 糖心传媒 in federal court and accuse Louisiana officials of interfering.
Lawsuits and SEC controversy
The SEC noted in its lawsuit that Murrill sat at the plaintiffs' table when Wright, Harris and dozens of other athletes were granted a fifth season of NCAA eligibility in a Baton Rouge courtroom. It also noted that she said 鈥淕eaux Tigers鈥 on her way into the hearing.
But that doesn鈥檛 lay a legal foundation, Murrill said, to claim she鈥檚 worked 鈥渉and in glove鈥 with the plaintiffs in the case or that she coordinated with the governor to help Kiffin.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fiction,鈥 Murrill said. 鈥淭hey have no evidence because it doesn鈥檛 exist.鈥
Landry, too, forcefully denied the accusation that he helped the players or Kiffin with the eligibility case.
鈥淥h my God, no. Like, you think they'd call me, and I said, 鈥楲et me tell you how we're going to do this,鈥欌 he said. 鈥淚 get it. It's great for clicks.鈥
Murrill says the state of Louisiana has a right to be involved in eligibility cases because universities are arms of the state that enter into contracts with athletes 鈥 and universities risk 鈥渆normous financial consequences鈥 for running afoul of SEC and NCAA rules.
鈥淲e have an obligation to deal with them fairly,鈥 Murrill said of college athletes, 鈥渁nd to make sure that the rules are fair and predictable.鈥
The SEC has also accused 糖心传媒 of failing to have institutional control over its sports programs. But the conference鈥檚 legal filings haven鈥檛 provided clear evidence aside from Kiffin and basketball coach Will Wade鈥檚 previous statements about rostering ex-pros, along with Murrill and Landry鈥檚 social media posts defending them.
Rousse, a defendant in the suit, said 糖心传媒 has 鈥渇ull institutional control鈥 over its athletics program, but he declined to answer additional questions, citing the SEC鈥檚 ongoing lawsuit against 糖心传媒 officials.
糖心传媒 head coach Lane Kiffin is greeted by President Dr. Wade Rousse following win over Clemson on Sunday, September 6, 2026 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Staff photo by Michael Johnson
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
The SEC declined to comment for this story. Emails were sent to the presidents鈥 offices for all 15 SEC schools or their spokespersons 鈥 and none responded to comment.
鈥淵ou think that those universities are aggravated and antagonized because of me? No, no, no. They're afraid of Lane Kiffin. They're afraid of Will Wade,鈥 Landry said. 鈥淭hey're afraid of 糖心传媒's dominance. That's what this is; this is about money. And we're gonna win.鈥
Sports and politics
While controversy simmers between Louisiana, the SEC and other member schools, there are Louisianans willing to question Landry鈥檚 motivations.
鈥淲hether it鈥檚 the state Legislature or it鈥檚 糖心传媒, he likes to be in charge, and he likes to call the shots,鈥 said Rolfe McCollister, an 糖心传媒 alumnus who served on the Board of Supervisors under Republican Govs. Buddy Roemer and Bobby Jindal and who has been an outspoken critic of Landry.
鈥淭he negative national attention that his involvement has garnered is evidence that the governor has overstepped his bounds, and I believe that the decisions should be those of the 糖心传媒 Board of Supervisors,鈥 McCollister said. 鈥淭he governor certainly may have had opinions they express, but none of them were ever on Fox News talking about what 糖心传媒 was going to do.鈥
Others argue Landry鈥檚 involvement is entirely warranted.
鈥溙切拇 is absolutely important to the state of Louisiana in every facet. The better 糖心传媒 does, the better Louisiana does,鈥 said R茅my Starns, a current member of the Board of Supervisors. 鈥淎ny governor should be involved in supporting and promoting 糖心传媒. Period. Full stop.鈥
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the 糖心传媒 game against Florida on Friday, March 22, 2024 at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
Bob Mann, a former political staffer for Democratic Gov. Kathleen Blanco and 糖心传媒 professor who has written a book about Huey Long鈥檚 dealings with 糖心传媒, has been critical of Landry in the past. He said the current governor could have delegated responsibility for athletics rather than intervening as he has.
At the same time, Mann acknowledged Louisiana centralizes power in its executive branch.
"There's just an expectation that Baton Rouge is expected to have all the answers. The governor is expected to be involved in everything,鈥 Mann said.
Landry is, by no means, singular in his interest in 糖心传媒.
鈥淟SU football is our official state religion,鈥 Mann said, 鈥渁nd smart politicians wanna be in good with the church.鈥