Jake Olsen turns down NFL job to remain on LSU Football staff

LSU safeties coach Jake Olsen  has turned down an NFL job to remain on staff in Baton Rouge.

After two years of coaching safeties under LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker, Olsen is staying on staff at LSU instead of leaving for the pros, as first reported by On3’s Pete Nakos.

Olsen had an opportunity to join the staff with the Washington Commanders, and while reports prior to the weekend pointed to a likely departure from LSU’s coaching staff, the Tigers were able to buckle in and keep him on staff entering the 2026 season next fall.

It’s a big win for Baker, who also chose to stay on LSU’s staff this offseason after he had the chance to return to his Tulane, his alma mater, as the program’s next head coach following Jon Sumrall’s departure for Florida.

Baker chose to stay put. Now, Olsen has done the same.

Olsen worked under Baker at Missouri before both joined LSU’s coaching staff ahead of the 2024 season. Olsen has worked with longtime LSU defensive backs coach Corey Raymond the past two years in Baton Rouge, overseeing the safety room – which had a turnaround campaign this past season. Olsen leaned heavily on a pair of transfer starters in  AJ Haulcy and Tamarcus Cooley, then rotated in sophomore Dashawn Spears.

With Haulcy out of eligibility and off to the NFL Draft, Spears is expected to step into a larger role – but Olsen and the Tigers also, once again, got help from the NCAA Transfer Portal.

LSU landed one of the most-coveted transfer safety prospects in Boise State’s Ty Benefield, who juggled the idea of entering the NFL Draft before choosing to stay in college, enter the NCAA Transfer Portal and sign with the Tigers.

LSU also signed a former Top 100 recruit and a top target out of high school for Olsen and the staff in Ohio State freshman transfer Faheem Delane.

For LSU head coach Lane Kiffin, it means time spent rebuilding the on-field coaching staff is likely over. Kiffin already hired an entirely new on-field staff on offense, then added his brother, Chris Kiffin, to the defensive staff as a linebackers coach, while hiring away one of the SEC’s top young assistants in South Carolina defensive ends and pass rushers coach Sterling Lucas.

Lucas replaced former defensive tackles coach Kyle Williams, who stepped away from coaching after spending the 2025 season at his alma mater in Baton Rouge.