LSU, Nike Announce Long-Term Contract Extension, NIL Deals for Top Athletes

With the Lane Kiffin era on the horizon, LSU's athletic department is remaining with Nike for the foreseeable future.

LSU and Nike announced Thursday they extended their partnership that dates back five decades through 2036. What's more, LSU is entering a "first-of-its-kind partnership" as the initial school to institute Nike's Blue Ribbon Elite NIL program.

"LSU and Nike are two of the top brands in sport and an ideal duo," athletic director Verge Ausberry said in the announcement. "We are both continuously looking to innovate and stay ahead of the game, and that's what we intend to do in the future with this extended partnership. 

"LSU has always been at the forefront of NIL strategy, and as the launchpad for Nike Blue Ribbon Elite, we look forward to working with Nike to offer our student-athletes unrivaled opportunities to capitalize on their brands."

The following Tigers are among those joining Nike's roster of NIL athletes:

• Kailin Chio, Gymnastics
• Derek Curiel, Baseball
• Tori Edwards, Softball
• Casan Evans, Baseball
• Trey'Dez Green, Football
• Jayden Heavener, Softball
• ZaKiyah Johnson, Basketball
• DJ Pickett, Football
• Jurnee Robinson, Volleyball
• Dedan Thomas Jr., Basketball

This comes at a notable time for the LSU athletic department.

The women's basketball program has been to the Elite Eight in each of the last three seasons, including when it won the national title in 2023. The baseball team won the College World Series in 2023 and 2025, and the gymnastics team won the national championship in 2024.

And, perhaps most notably, the high-profile football program just made a headline coaching change by hiring Kiffin after firing Brian Kelly.

Each of LSU's three coaches prior to Kelly won a national title in Nick Saban, Les Miles and Ed Orgeron, and the SEC powerhouse is surely hoping Kiffin can reestablish that tradition of winning on the biggest stage after the program failed to live up to expectations in recent years.

Kiffin just led Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff this season and will look to do the same with the Tigers in 2026 and beyond.

If he does, the players will be wearing Nike on that stage with this extended partnership.