Why Louisiana’s Governor Was Involved in the Brian Kelly Firing

It isn’t every day that a state governor directly involves themselves in firing a college football coach. But that’s exactly what happened last weekend, when LSU decided to fire head coach Brian Kelly.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry reportedly hosted a meeting of donors and athletic department officials at the governor’s mansion Sunday afternoon to discuss Kelly’s firing—and presumably influenced the final decision. 

LSU announced the move Sunday night, several hours after the meeting took place—triggering a $53 million buyout for Kelly. (The team has gone 5-3 this season, but 2-3 in conference play.) However, the big headline number may not be what LSU ultimately pays out to Kelly. Kelly’s contract includes a duty to mitigate and offset clause. The university also said it was negotiating financial terms of his departure, suggesting he could take a smaller buyout in a lump sum.

Landry’s office did not respond to emailed requests for comment. But his involvement would be unsurprising given the governor’s public interest in the team. In 2024, for example, he helped get a live tiger to appear at a game in order to revive an old gameday tradition. And just this past weekend, he posted a viral tweet on X calling for the university to rethink its decision to raise ticket prices after the Tigers lost to Texas A&M.

The dynamic can also partially be attributed to the fact that LSU is a public university, and Louisiana’s governor is permitted to influence decisions.

Landry has appointed six of the14 members of  LSU’s Board of Supervisors. He will appoint four more next year. His influence is even bigger now, given that LSU currently doesn’t have a permanent university president. This past summer, LSU president William Tate IV resigned to become the new president at Rutgers, and the school has yet to replace him. As a result, Landry has taken on a larger role in making university decisions. 

Louisiana has a history of governors involving themselves in LSU football. Gov. Huey Long was known for his involvement in the football program in the 1930s—he was a constant presence on the sidelines, he weighed in on recruiting decisions and facilities enhancement, and often led the marching band across the field.