LSU Linebacker Whit Weeks Returns for 2026 Season

Baton Rouge, Louisiana—Star linebacker Whit Weeks announced Thursday that he will return to the LSU Tigers for his senior season in 2026, forgoing entry into the NFL Draft and bolstering the roster under new head coach Lane Kiffin.

Weeks, a key defensive player, shared the news on Instagram, expressing his enthusiasm for staying in college. "College is too much fun to leave, and there is no better place in the country to be right now than Baton Rouge, Louisiana," he wrote. "All I want to do is ball in the purple and gold. See you in September."

The decision marks a significant early win for Kiffin, who took over as LSU's head coach ahead of the 2026 campaign. Weeks, already a team captain and former unanimous First-Team All-SEC selection, adds proven talent to a defense aiming to rebound. He joins two of his brothers on the Tigers roster, further strengthening family ties within the program.

Weeks' 2025 season was marred by injuries, limiting him to eight games after a broken ankle—a recurrence of the dislocation he suffered in the 2024 Texas Bowl. He recorded 31 combined tackles, one sack, three tackles for loss and one fumble recovery during that stretch. At the time of his...