LSU's Ed Orgeron Says He Was "About to Die" Before Doctors Saved His Life

The LSU Tigers are on the brink of having their College Football Playoff hopes officially come to an end if they can't find a way to win against the Texas Longhorns at home on Saturday.

It's been a dissapointing season thus far for LSU in the first year under head coach Lane Kiffin, who was brought to Baton Rouge to bring the Tigers back to championship contention.

But while the results on the field are important, they pale in comparison to what happens in the real world outside of the white lines. All of this got put into perspective when LSU assistant coach Ed Orgeron suffered a life-threatening emergency prior to the start of the season.

Now that he's officially back with the team to close out the year, "Coach O" is opening up about the scary medical incident that kept him hospitalized for over two weeks.

Ed Orgeron Opens Up on Hospitlization

LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron reacts in the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Tiger Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports

In a video posted by Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Orgeron praised the doctors and medical professionals who treated him.

On top of their care at the hospital, Orgeron said that doctors even made visits to his house to continue treatment after he had been released.

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"I was about to die, and they saved my life," Orgeron said. "And I'm very, very grateful for that. Not only that night, but all through my recovery, these guys have been great."

"We talk about family. One team, one heartbeat," Orgeron said. "Our Lady of the Lake got the best family of doctors I've ever seen in my life. ... These guys are unbelievable. They go far and beyond. But you know what? I'm happy to be here. I'm happy to represent the Tigers."

Here's a look at Orgeron's full remarks:

Championship healthcare for our championship coach. pic.twitter.com/6OVRdsQHha
— Our Lady of the Lake Health (@ololhealth) November 5, 2026

What Lane Kiffin Said About Ed Orgeron's Return From the Hospital

While meeting with the media recently, Kiffin spoke about what it meant to have Orgeron back on the sidelines.

“It was awesome,” Kiffin said. “He came to me after and said how appreciative he was that I brought him back and how special that was for him. He never knew whether he would walk out there again, you know, and hadn't been back here in the years in between. And so, to kind of mend that, and I love that I was able to be a part of that.”

A lifelong LSU legend, it's a blessing that Orgeron is back with the Tigers to close out the 2026 season.

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