LSU legend and recent NFL retiree Tyrann Mathieu now has new career goal: Become the the next head coach of the LSU football program.
Mathieu shared his vision with Robert Griffin III on Sunday night, which Griffin III relayed on his social media account shortly after Kelly got fired.
"You're going to have to supply this man with a great staff," Griffin III said. "Defensive coordinator that's got experience. Offensive coordinator that's got a ton of experience and other head coaches on the staff that can help him learn the ropes, but Tyrann 'Honey Badger' Mathieu hit me up and let me know that he wants the head coaching job at LSU."
Mathieu retired from the NFL in July and does not have any coaching experience at the college or NFL level. Throughout his playing career, he has hosted various youth football camps and had a recent visit to a game at his alma mater of St. Augustine High School.
"You can't tell me any LSU Tiger wouldn't want him to lead them back to prominence like they're supposed to be," Griffin III said. "Let me know what you think. Tyrann Mathieu? Head coach at LSU? Oweee! Honey Badger, bring him back home, y'all."
LSU just fired Head Coach Brian Kelly with a $54 Million buyout and you will not believe who just told me that he wants to be the next Head Coach of the LSU Tigers. pic.twitter.com/jXOylpZBGM
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 27, 2025
There has been a recent trend of retired NFL players with no prior experience becoming college football coaches.
The most famous, and arguably most successful one, in the past five years has been Deion Sanders. Coach Prime led Jackson State to two SWAC championships in three seasons before going to the University of Colorado where he qualified for a Bowl game in his second year with the Buffaloes. Sanders had years of experience coaching high school football before he leapt to college. Eddie George started with Tennessee State in 2021 and won a share of the Ohio Valley Conference championship in 2024 before going to Bowling Green in March.
Although Michael Vick made headlines when he became the new coach at Norfolk State, it's been his former Philadelphia Eagles teammate, Desean Jackson, who has led his own program, Delaware State, to an impressive 5-3 record so far this fall.
Other former NFL players who are coaching in college include Mississippi Valley State's Terrell Buckley, Texas Southern's Cris Dishman and Morehouse College's Terance Mathis.