Ex-LSU star Tyrann Mathieu’s days with the Tigers were anything but ordinary, highlighted by an outstanding 2011 season that earned him the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player. But his collegiate journey wasn’t smooth, as he faced a snub from Lane Kiffin before joining LSU, a fact he has publicly admitted.

“Obviously, I ended up committing to LSU, but one of the first schools we went to was Tennessee… You know who the coach was? Lane Kiffin,” said Mathieu during his Friday appearance on the ‘In The Bayou’ podcast. “I absolutely dominated that football camp, and he still didn’t give me a scholarship.

“This is crazy, like I’m back around him. Yeah, he’s coaching my school, and we got to have a relationship. But not getting a scholarship at Tennessee… I really felt some type of way about that.”

Mathieu’s words clearly reflect that the snub was a shock for the standout defensive back from LSU. Out of St. Augustine High, he was a four-star recruit and one of the state’s top DB prospects, showcasing his talent before choosing his collegiate destination. Despite his obvious talent, Kiffin’s decision showed he overlooked a key piece, one who could have made a bigger impact at Tennessee.

Mathieu immediately made Tennessee regret the decision, becoming a turnover machine at LSU, where he racked up 133 tackles and a school-record 11 forced fumbles in just two seasons. More importantly, in 2011, he was a unanimous first-team All-American and earned MVP honors in the SEC Title Game, while he capped his LSU career with a fifth-place finish in Heisman Trophy voting.

While his talent was obvious, Kiffin’s decision not to offer him surely stung, but it didn’t affect Mathieu’s impact with the Tigers. What’s more intriguing is that when Mathieu joined LSU at the time, Tennessee had already lost Kiffin, who had joined the Trojans as head coach. Ironically, years later, Kiffin would start coaching at LSU, the very school Mathieu chose after being passed over.

Now, while the ex-LSU star has since admitted that they have a good relationship, it didn’t erase the sting from back then. However, Mathieu’s LSU tenure didn’t last long, just two seasons. Yet in that short time, he contributed heavily on the field. But his ending wasn’t pretty; he was dismissed from the team in August 2012 for violating team rules.

Mathieu has credited that dismissal as a turning point that fueled his later NFL success. Still, the former LSU star didn’t hesitate to open up about that LSU chapter, filled with controversy.

Tyrann Mathieu’s shocking confession

Ex-NFL DB Tyrann Mathieu revealed a shocking chapter from his LSU days, admitting he once tried drinking bleach mixed with Coca-Cola to pass a drug test, and it nearly cost him his life.

“It felt like my whole insides were erupting. I ended up throwing that s— up. I thought that was gonna save my life. It didn’t. It backfired,” said Mathieu, following this episode in life.

While he didn’t specify the substances he was trying to hide, the episode really highlights the incredible lengths he went through, especially when facing suspension threats.

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He amassed 14 turnovers and four touchdowns in 2011. Dismissed in 2012 for team violations, he entered rehab before being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round. Over a 12-season NFL career, he won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs and earned three Pro Bowl nods before announcing his retirement last July.