Brent Brennan wore a lei on the sidelines during his first college football at Arizona. He is not Polynesian.
That did not go over well with a portion of the Wildcats fanbase.
However, Brennan will not apologize for what some people wrongly interpreted as culture appropriation. The 52-year-old college football coach wore the lei with pride.
What is the significance of a lei?
A lei is a traditional Hawaiian garland made from flowers, leaves, shells, seeds and/or feathers. It symbolizes love, respect, and aloha— the spirit of peace and compassion.
Leis are deeply rooted in Polynesian customs. They carry spiritual and emotional significance.
Historically speaking, leis are used to mark important events and honor important guests. To wear a lei around your neck is a symbol of status and/or achievement.
Today, leis are more commonly presented during celebrations like graduations, weddings and birthdays. The act of giving or receiving a lei is a gesture of goodwill and connection. It reflects the values of hospitality and unity.
To remove a lei in the presence of a giver is considered disrespectful to its cultural reverence.
Why does Arizona football coach Brent Brennan wear a lei?
Brent Brennan was hired by Arizona in January 2024 after seven strong years at San Jose State. He wore a lei for every single game during his first season at the helm in Tucson.
That ruffled some feathers.
A small but vocal portion of the fanbase expressed its frustration toward what it perceived as cultural appropriation becuase Brennan is not Polynesian. He is caucasian. The 52-year-old was born and raised in Redwood City, California.
Brennan will not apologize. In fact, it would’ve been more insulting for him not to wear the lei.
Brent Brennan knows wearing a lei during every game last season “was a little bit of a lightning rod with our fanbase.”
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) August 28, 2025
“Any time someone from that culture honors me by giving me a lei, it is humbling. … I never wanted to disrespect that, and that’s why it was an important… pic.twitter.com/yi3UyOScPB
The unusual tradition started as a spontaneous tribute to his best players at Big 12 Media Days because tarting quarterback Noah Fifita and star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan are both polynesian. He continued to wear a lei throughout the entire season— actually two.
His weekly leis were presented to him by Fifta’s grandmother and McMillan’s mother. As per tradition, it would be considered direct disrespect for Brent Brennan not to accept them or to later remove them.