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Brian Kelly opens up on death of Kyren Lacy, reflects on how he'll be remembered

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby:Grant Grubbs•about 16 hours•

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LSU HC Brian Kelly
LSU head coach Brian Kelly. (Maria Lysaker, Imagn Images)

On Tuesday, LSU players were scheduled to meet with the media, but in the wake of former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy‘s tragic passing, Tigers head coach Brian Kelly fielded questions instead. Naturally, Kelly discussed his relationship with Lacy and reflected on the young man’s life.

“Unfortunately in my career, this is not the first time that this has happened,” Kelly said. “Mental health is one of the facets of player development that you’re working with in my field. And, unfortunately, it’s happened before, and I never take a situation like this as one that could never happen. You’re always on guard for it.

“Kyren was a bright star. He had an incredible personality. I’ll remember him as somebody that had a love for the game, a love for being a Tiger and was a guy that played with great emotion. When you think of Kyren, you’re going to smile most of the time because of the way he handled himself. He was a guy that was full of energy. And I think a lot of his teammates will remember him that way as well.”

Kyren Lacy was found dead on Sunday from an apparent suicide. He was 24 years old. Lacy spent three seasons at LSU but had a breakout campaign this past season.

In the 2024 campaign, Lacy tallied 58 catches for 866 yards and nine touchdowns. After the season, he declared for the 2025 NFL Draft and was expected to be drafted. Despite Lacy’s success on the field, he was facing serious issues away from the gridiron.

On Jan. 10, Louisiana State Police issued a warrant for Lacy’s arrest after he was accused of speeding and passing people on Louisiana Highway 20. According to a police report via WAFB, a northbound driver in a pickup truck abruptly hit the breaks and swerved to avoid a head-on-collision with Lacy’s Dodge Charger, forcing a Kia Cadenza that was behind the pickup to swerve left, crossing the centerline and hitting a southbound Kia Sorrento head-on.

The passenger in the Kia Sorrento was critically injured and later died at a local hospital, according to investigators. Lacy turned himself in to the police on Jan. 12. However, he was released on bond after paying a $151,000 bail.

Lacy was facing charges of felony hit-and-run and reckless driving. A grand jury was scheduled to begin hearing evidence in the case on Monday.

Late on Saturday evening, Lacy reportedly shot a gun at the ground while in a heated argument with a family member, per WBRZ. Lacy then left the house and was spotted by a constable, who reportedly attempted to make a traffic stop.

“Deputies said Lacy refused to stop and was chased for several miles before crashing,” WBRZ’s Logan Cullop wrote. “A report from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office says that when deputies walked up to Lacy’s vehicle to take him into custody, they didn’t realize he shot himself during the pursuit and before the crash.”