Ed Orgeron hasn’t coached a game in years, but the former LSU football boss is still making headlines.
The 2019 national champion received a staggering $16.9 million buyout in 2021 when LSU athletic director Scott Woodward decided to part ways with him. The payout was meant to ease his exit after a sharp decline that saw the Tigers go just 11-11 in his final two seasons.
But this past week, Louisiana’s Supreme Court ordered Orgeron to give up nearly half of that windfall. In a 5-2 ruling, the court sided with his ex-wife, Kelly Orgeron, granting her $8.13 million under Louisiana’s community property laws. Legal experts say the former coach has little chance of overturning the decision on appeal.
“Louisiana’s Supreme Court is in the best position to interpret family law in this case,” legal analyst Franz Borghardt explained. “I doubt the U.S. Supreme Court would even consider it.”
The court drama, however, didn’t keep Orgeron from enjoying himself. Just days after the ruling, he was spotted at a New Orleans wedding, where he ripped off his shirt and danced wildly to live music, cufflinks still dangling from his sleeves. The viral video quickly spread across social media, with Orgeron toasting the crowd and shouting his trademark “Geaux Tigers!”
The timing of his divorce and buyout is what ultimately left him vulnerable in court. Orgeron filed for divorce in early 2020, just 43 days after signing a lucrative extension worth $7 million per year. While he was later fired “without cause” and began collecting his buyout in late 2021, the contract wasn’t formally approved until after the divorce was already in motion. That meant the court viewed the buyout as community property, splitting it with his former spouse.
Kelly Orgeron’s attorney celebrated the ruling, saying it properly recognized her contributions during the couple’s 22-year marriage. One dissenting justice, however, argued the payments were compensation for work Orgeron performed after the marriage ended — and should have been his alone.
Either way, the ruling means Coach O will likely part with $8 million of his golden parachute. But if his shirtless dance floor celebration is any indication, the former LSU coach isn’t letting the loss dampen his Bayou spirit.
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