LSU Icon Reveals Strong Message on Trinidad Chambliss' Return to Ole Miss Football

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss remains the talk of the town this offseason after being granted a preliminary injunction last week following Judge Robert Whitwell's ruling after over seven hours in a Mississippi court.

The electrifying dual-threat signal-caller will be one of the top returning players in college football after throwing 3,927 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2025, while adding 520 rushing yards and eight scores; fueling the Rebels' College Football Playoff run.

In Judge Whitwell's ruling, he revealed that the NCAA “breached its duty of good faith and acted in bad faith” in denying Chambliss a medical redshirt for the 2022 season when he was at Ferris State - setting the stage for the Rebels' signal-caller to be granted an injunction against the NCAA.

Now, Chambliss continues receiving stamps of approval from current and former players with former LSU Tigers icon Tyrann Mathieu weighing in on the mental strength it took to fight in court for his eligibility.

"I think he legitimately wants to maximize what he has," Mathieu said. "One year at a big program is not enough for these kids - especially when you spent three, four years at a lesser program... They've got the coaches and the culture for me.

"How can I maximize that? I don't agree with this 28, 29 year olds playing college sports... I'm proud of the kid to be able to stand up there in court and speak the way he spoke. He commanded the room. Who are we to stop him from doing something that means a lot to him and his family?"

Tyrann Mathieu reacts to Trinidad Chambliss returning to Ole Miss after winning his lawsuit against the NCAA

“One year at a big program is not enough for these kids… so I’m proud of him for being able to stand up there, speak the way he spoke, and just command the room.” pic.twitter.com/mTi8ZDIJVZ
— In The Bayou With Tyrann Mathieu (@InTheBayouPod) February 18, 2026

As a sophomore in 2011, Mathieu was a unanimous first-team All-American at LSU, won the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player, and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

He finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting—a rare feat for a defensive back—and was MVP of the SEC Championship Game after returning a punt for a touchdown.

Now, the former SEC star believes Ole Miss has something special in Chambliss as he looks to carry his momentum into the offseason with an opportunity to continue developing ahead of the 2026 season.

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