Lessons from the Line of Scrimmage
3. Kyren Lacy - LSU - Impact of Bias
It's 2024, and a star is born. LSU has produced another elite WR that has played his way into the 1st round conversation of the NFL Draft. The hype is not without controversy. Kyren Lacey is explosive, confident and dynamic; 58 catches for 866 yards and 14 TDs with 14.9 yds per catch.
LSU has a good season, but not the one they expected. They're to play in the Kinder's Texas Bowl. Lacy declares for the NFL Draft and decides not to play in the bowl game.
Everything changed on December 17, 2024. There was a car accident. A 78 year old man was killed, Lacy was implicated and charged with negligent homicide, felony hit and run with death, and reckless operation of a vehicle. Lacy surrendered himself and was released on bail.
In April 2025, Lacy died from an apparent suicide, just 2 days before his scheduled grand jury hearing.
From Jan. 2025 to April 2025, the internet, sports analyst, and sports fans have a field day at Lacy's expense. No evidence. No video. Just a few vague witness statements fueled the narrative. Memes go viral. Headlines and Breaking News everywhere. It seemed, Kyren was guilty before he ever got his day in court.
He had become a tragedy before his dream of being an NFL Draft pick came true. His death, unfortunately, became the "confirmation" of his guilt in the eyes of so many despite never having been prosecuted or any tangible evidence being shared.
Then in October 2025, Lacy's attorney released video evidence proving he was not responsible for or even involved in the accident. Additional evidence provided, shows a police officer coercing a witness to change their statement to implicate the "green Charger" that Kyren Lacy drove.
The outrage this time? Barely a whisper. What was once front page news becomes a footnote across the sports landscape. Ryan Clark, an LSU alum, took a moment after Monday Night Football to speak about the injustice, but it felt like an afterthought. And honestly, I expect more from the NCAA, the NFL, and ESPN.
Bias is the disproportionate weight in favor of or against an idea, thing or person which is inaccurate, close minded, prejudicial or unfair.
Kyren Lacy was a victim of a bias system. It started with the officer. Then breaking news. Then social media. Then the judicial system. Bias influenced a narrative that was never based on evidence, it was built on perception.
The story was easy to believe. Kyren was "controversial" on the field. He was young. He was black. What else did people need? Everything...
Bias is dangerous. It can impair our ability to make sound, fair decisions. It has the power to distort the truth change and alter the lived experiences of others.
We all have biases. The work is making sure they don't interfere with our ability to think critically.
So what can we do?
it's important to acknowledge and improve self awareness, practice critical thinking, challenge you perceptions, seek diverse perspectives and look for disconfirming evidence.
By putting this into practice, you can change how you see and understand the world around you. And, my hope, is that we are able to build a world where stories like Kyren's don't end the way it did.