Chip Kelly couldn’t hold back the tears when recalling a story about Laiatu Latu’s leadership.

Latu started his college career at Washington and had a neck injury that forced him to medically retire from football. However, he transferred to UCLA last season and the rest is history.

Kelly knew Latu was a finalist for the Lombardi ahead of USC and was asked not to tell the linebacker until it was announced.

Kelly was planning on telling the team after practice. Latu insisted that Kelly wait so that UCLA could focus on the USC game.

“We found out that Latu was a finalist for the Lombardi. The Lombardi people are a classy organization and they asked us not to tell him until they announced it first,” said Kelly. “I told Latu during stretches and he was like, ‘What does that mean? Did I win it?'”

Kelly was planning on telling the team after practice. Latu insisted that Kelly wait so that UCLA could focus on the USC game.

“Latu goes, ‘Why are you telling me now?’ I said I was planning on telling the team after practice. He said, ‘I don’t want you to tell the team yet.’ I said what do you mean you don’t want me to tell the team yet,” said Kelly. “He said, ‘I just want to focus on the game this week, I don’t care about awards. I care about what goes on this week and I don’t want anybody to think about me or any awards.’ That’s what makes Latu special.”

Latu has been a big part of the UCLA defense the last couple of seasons, with 10.5 sacks during the 2022 campaign and 13 sacks so far this season.

The Bruins close out the season against Cal on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. PT on ESPN.