There was a very familiar face at the practice of LSU on Tuesday. Former quarterback JaMarcus Russell returned to his old stomping grounds in Baton Rouge to watch the Tigers prepare for the upcoming season.
He also got reunited with coach Lane Kiffin, who handled Russell during their brief stint together on the Oakland Raiders. Kiffin spent 20 games with the Raiders from 2007 to 2008.
Kiffin shared his picture with Russell on X, with the caption: “#JustDifferent @Raiders @LSUfootball 18 years later.”
#JustDifferent @Raiders @LSUfootball 18 years later 🐅 pic.twitter.com/GpaJi64qbT
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) April 7, 2026
The 50-year-old Kiffin, who was hired by LSU in November, said he opened the facility to former Tigers as a way to acknowledge their contributions to the program, according to a report from TigerDroppings.com.
“Some have come around, and I’ve reached out to others to make sure that they understood that. This is a place they put together and built,” said Kiffin.
“It was really neat to see JaMarcus. The first time I was in this building was for his NFL Pro Day.”
The veteran coach’s post quickly grabbed attention. Fans, however, were not too nice to Kiffin and Russell.
“Biggest bust in NFL history. Congrats, LSU!” said @BigCountryTakes.
“Not a bad guy, not a bad QB. Insanely talented. Just immature. People love to pile on cause it’s easy,” added @illbearound2024.
“Lane with the fake smile, LOL. He wanted Calvin Johnson, but Al wasn’t hearing it,” wrote @mtlsportsfan_.
“In a different world, both of y’all have three rings and JaMarcus is retiring as a HOF,” posted @RealRawSports1.
“As a Raiders & LSU fan, this picture could turn out as one of the worst pictures of all time,” commented @MendozaMuse.
Russell starred for LSU from 2003 to 2006, winning the Manning Award and earning a spot on the All-SEC First Team in his senior year. He was drafted by the Raiders as the first overall pick in 2007.
His career, however, never panned out due to weight issues. He was out of the NFL in 2009.
There was a very familiar face at the practice of LSU on Tuesday. Former quarterback JaMarcus Russell returned to his old stomping grounds in Baton Rouge to watch the Tigers prepare for the upcoming season. He also got reunited with coach Lane Kiffin, who handled Russell during their brief stint together on the Oakland Raiders.