LSU head coach Lane Kiffin was a top coach but was secretly battling alcohol addiction. When he felt he was losing himself, he chose to walk away. Five years later, that decision remains one of the most life-changing of his career.

On January 30, Lane Kiffin hit a milestone: five years of sobriety. He hopped onto X and proudly celebrated the achievement, penning an unheard truth about his life in getting his life back.

“Welp, 5 years ago today, I made a decision that would change my life and many others around me. I want to say to anyone that has something holding you back from being the best version of yourself—you CAN do it!! It won’t be easy AT ALL, but I promise you it will be worth it. 💙♥️.” Kiffin tweeted.

While the tweet didn’t explicitly mention alcohol, the message was quite clear. In Kiffin’s case, he didn’t hit a dramatic rock bottom; instead, he humorously said he just got tired of digging. Back in 2021, he recognized that although he was successful on the field, he wasn’t necessarily being the best version of himself for his kids or his players, and he understood why he needed some changes in his life.

The wake-up call was actually a mix of health and family. After a bowl game in early 2021, Kiffin saw a photo of himself and felt he looked “unrecognizable” and out of shape. He originally started a simple health cleanse to lose weight, cutting out alcohol and junk food. Once the brain fog cleared and he started feeling better than he had in years, he decided to ditch the drinks for good.

He even doubled down on IG stories by posting hard-cold truths about alcoholism (by Dr. Thomas Paloschi) and why it is tricky and how it manipulates dopamine. According to Dr. Paloschi, your brain has a set level for dopamine (the feel-good chemical). When you drink, it spikes way up, so your brain brings the level way down to balance things out, which is why you feel awful the next day, anxious, flat, and so on.

Do it too often, and that low level becomes your new normal, meaning you need alcohol just to feel okay. The brain adapts; this process is called neuroadaptation. The great part is you can fix it by doing healthy things like sleeping well and breathing exercises, and your brain will heal over time.

To stay on track over the last five years, Kiffin completely swapped his old habits for healthy ones. He became obsessed with hot yoga and pickleball. Those morning workouts help him stay centered and burn off stress, rather than reaching for a morning drink.

His family has been his main support during sobriety. His daughter, Landry, gave him a framed gift with his AA chip to mark his progress. Kiffin admits he used alcohol to unwind from coaching pressures, but sobriety lets him be fully present with his children, which he considers the true win.

Lane Kiffin wasn’t the only one who went through this journey.

Alcohol and college ball don’t go hand-in-hand

Alcohol has long been a coping mechanism in high-pressure coaching circles. Perhaps the most famous “redemption arc” in modern football, Steve Sarkisian was fired as the head coach of USC in 2015 after several alcohol-related incidents became public. He checked into rehab, stayed sober, and rebuilt his career as an assistant under Nick Saban before becoming a head coach again.

Looking back from 2026, it’s clear that this personal change helped Kiffin’s career explode, leading to record-breaking seasons at Ole Miss before his big move to LSU. Kiffin’s story is a favorite among fans because it’s so relatable. It shows that you don’t need a total disaster to decide to level up your life and start fresh.

With five years sober, Lane Kiffin has traded one vice for another: trolling.