Top Louisiana sports stories of 2025

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LouisianaSports.net Staff

From seismic coaching changes and championship parades to heartbreaking loss and unexpected rises, 2025 was a year Louisiana sports fans won’t soon forget. Here are the stories that defined it.

1. LSU Hires Lane Kiffin

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A month-long pursuit featured flight trackers, awkward press conferences, Florida flirtation, national scrutiny, meetings at the Ole Miss chancellor’s house and a wild scene on campus in Oxford. Ultimately, LSU landed the No. 1 coach on its board and got Lane Kiffin to leave a College Football Playoff team for Baton Rouge. -Hunt Palmer

2. AD Scott Woodward Fires Brian Kelly … and Then Got Fired

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LSU led No. 3 Texas A&M at halftime. Twenty hours later, Brian Kelly was gone. Three days later, Scott Woodward was, too. In the most tumultuous week in LSU football history, the program was flipped on its head. Governor Jeff Landry got in the mix. The nation looked on in disbelief. -Hunt Palmer

3. Saints Hire Kellen Moore

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The Saints began their new era shortly after Super Bowl LIX, hiring then-Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as their new head coach shortly after he secured a world championship with his previous team. LouisianaSports.Net followed him around the country in preparation to take the mantle in New Orleans. His 1-8 start raised some eyebrows, but after going 5-2 down the stretch, the new hope Moore represented appears to be coming to fruition. -Ross Jackson

4. LSU Wins 8th CWS Title

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Kade Anderson shut out Coastal Carolina in the opener of the final, and Anthony Eyanson and Chase Shores took it from there in game two. The Tigers won eight postseason games in a row after falling to fourth-seeded Little Rock in the Sunday regional game. Jared Jones played hero to lift LSU to the final with a walk-off single to beat Arkansas. Jay Johnson’s program has two titles in three years. -Hunt Palmer

5. Saints Rookie QB Tyler Shough’s Emergence

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The Saints’ most recent success and momentum can’t be shared without Shough being a major part of the story. Beginning in April, the second-round selection out of Louisville has been a massive story to follow. From his selection to the training camp quarterback battle with second-year passer Spencer Rattler to his ascension as an Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite, Shough claiming the mantle as the team’s future at quarterback has rejuvenated the organization and fanbase. -Ross Jackson

6. Kyren Lacy Tragically Dies

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Four months after his arrest for his alleged involvement in a fatal collision, Kyren Lacy took his own life while behind the wheel of his car in Houston. Lacy was weeks short of his trial and the NFL Draft. He was 24. -Hunt Palmer

7. Tyrann Mathieu retires

Tyrann Mathieu

A beloved figure across the state of Louisiana, the St. Augustine High School and LSU grad’s decision to hang up his cleats in his hometown of New Orleans was a seismic shift. Whether because of the surprising abruptness of the announcement the day before training camp began or because of his importance to the local community, Mathieu’s retirement was a bombshell that shook up Louisiana sports fans. -Ross Jackson

8. Derek Carr retires

Derek Carr

Much like Mathieu’s retirement, Carr’s calling it quits (for now) came out of nowhere. However, instead of delivering a gut-punch, the decision inspired a fanbase that was growing apathetic about the team’s trajectory. The move opened the door for a new leader to take the helm at quarterback and freed up $30 million to assist in the new direction of the franchise. The ripple-effects of this surprising decision that capped off a tumultuous few months have now led to the optimistic outlook the team has seen in years. -Ross Jackson

9. Pelicans Fire Willie Green

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What took so long? Amid a 2-10 start to his fifth season, the New Orleans Pelicans fired head coach Willie Green. He finished his tenure 150-190 with the Play-In Tournament appearances. Assistant coach James Borrego will finish the season before Green’s replacement will be hired. -Matt Moscona

10. Tulane’s run to the College Football Playoff

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The renaissance of Tulane’s program that began with Willie Fritz’s Cotton Bowl win over Caleb Williams and USC reached new heights. The Green Wave won The AAC and earned the No. 11 seed in the second 12-team College Football Playoff by virtue of am Uptown win over North Texas in Yulman Stadium. Jon Sumrall parlayed the run into the Florida job but left Tulane is an even better place than he found it.