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Brian Kelly filed a lawsuit against LSU, claiming the school is trying to avoid its $54 million buyout for the coach after allegedly telling Kelly’s representatives that it has not officially terminated him.
Kelly coached his final game with the Tigers on Oct. 25 — a 49-25 loss to Texas A&M — and running backs coach Frank Wilson is currently listed as the interim head coach on LSU’s website.
However, the lawsuit claimed that Kelly’s lawyers were notified by the school on Monday that the university aims to fire him “for cause” to avoid paying him the buyout.
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LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly looks on during warmups before a game against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at Tiger Stadium. (Stephen Lew/Imagn Images)
“LSU’s representatives had a call with Coach Kelly’s representatives in which LSU took the position that Coach Kelly had not been formally terminated and informed Coach Kelly’s representatives for the very first time that LSU believed that grounds for termination for cause existed,” the filing states, according to ESPN.
“LSU has never alleged that Coach Kelly was terminated for cause and, prior to November 10, 2025, never alleged that he engaged in any conduct that would warrant such termination,” the lawsuit continues. “To the contrary, LSU repeatedly confirmed, both publicly and to Coach Kelly, that the termination was due to team performance, not cause.”
In formally announcing Kelly’s departure, then-athletic director Scott Woodward said, “We had high hopes that he would lead us to multiple SEC and national championships during his time in Baton Rouge. Ultimately, the level of success that LSU requires was simply not there, and I made the decision to make a change after last night’s game.”
Woodward has since left his post after Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said he would not allow Woodward to hire the next coach, claiming he would rather have President Donald Trump make the decision.
However, the suit claimed that Kelly’s representatives were told by LSU that Kelly was never officially fired as Woodward did not even have the “authority to terminate Coach Kelly and/or make him settlement offers.”
Louisiana State University head coach Brian Kelly during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. (Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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In his sentiments about Woodward, Landry also blamed the former athletic director for the $77 million given to Jimbo Fisher, whom Woodward hired and whose contract negotiations he oversaw when Fisher was let go by Texas A&M.
Current athletic director Verge Ausberry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kelly’s suspension came shortly after Penn State fired James Franklin as several major college opportunities have opened up this offseason.
In their first game after Kelly, LSU lost to No. 4 Alabama 20-9. They finish the season with Arkansas, Western Kentucky and Oklahoma.
LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly reacts against the Texas A&M Aggies during a game at Tiger Stadium on November 25, 2023 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
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Kelly owns a 297-109-2 lifetime record dating back to his days coaching Division II school Grand Valley State from 1991 to 2003. He spent 12 seasons at Notre Dame before going to Baton Rouge and also had stops at Central Michigan and Cincinnati.
