LSU Ends Brian Kelly Era, $53M Buyout Negotiations Underway

LSU fired Brian Kelly on Sunday, ending the embattled football coach’s three-and-a-half-season run in Baton Rouge.

Kelly, who signed a 10-year, $100 million contract in 2022, is owed a buyout of roughly $53 million. That’s the second most expensive buyout in college sports history, behind the $77 million Texas A&M paid to Jimbo Fisher in 2023.

However, terms of his exit were still being negotiated as of Sunday evening, according to multiple reports. Offset language—similar to that found in James Franklin’s buyout from Penn State—could make the total LSU ends up actually paying Kelly much less than the estimated $53 million.

Including the $53 million that is assumed to be owed to Kelly, college football coaching buyouts have now reached a record $169 million this season. Three others are in the eight figures, too: Penn State’s James Franklin ($49.7 million), Florida’s Billy Napier ($21.2 million), and Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy ($15 million). 

Spin Cycle

The Tigers fell to 5–3 (including a 2–3 SEC record) after Saturday’s 49–25 home loss to No. 3 Texas A&M, which knocked LSU out of the AP Top 25 poll for the first time this season. Kelly leaves with a 34–14 record at LSU, including three bowl victories, but no College Football Playoff appearances. 

Rumors about Kelly getting fired heated up after LSU lost to Vanderbilt last week. On Sunday, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry reportedly met with the school’s board of supervisors and key boosters to discuss Kelly’s future, according to Matt Moscona of ESPN 104.5 FM in Baton Rouge. Landry has been heavily involved in the process because LSU doesn’t currently have a president, and is in the process of hiring a new one.

Meanwhile, Kelly’s firing comes as the Ole Miss coach Lana Kiffin and Texas coach Steve Sarkisian look to shoot down rumors that they each have interest in other high-profile jobs across college football and the NFL.