NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
A wild twist in the already ugly Brian Kelly-LSU divorce had a happy ending for the former Tigers coach.
Kelly will receive the rest of the $54 million owed to him after a lawsuit filed by Kelly claimed the school tried to avoid paying.
The coach filed a lawsuit against LSU, claiming the school was trying to avoid its buyout after allegedly telling Kelly’s representatives that it had not officially terminated him and was instead seeking to fire him for cause.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly gestures during a game against the USC Trojans at Allegiant Stadium on September 1, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Gus Stark/LSU/Getty Images)
However, Kelly received a letter from the school on Wednesday saying he had been officially terminated without cause and is owed “liquidated damages as required” under his contract.
LSU clarified in the letter that Kelly has a legal obligation to make “good faith, reasonable and sustained efforts” to obtain another job in football while still being paid by LSU.
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.”
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)
NICK SABAN TAKES BRIAN DABOLL TO JOIN PENN STATE’S COACHING VACANCY
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 Kelly’s representatives were told by LSU that Kelly was never officially fired because Woodward did not even have the “authority to terminate Coach Kelly and/or make him settlement offers.”
In his comments 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.
Kelly’s suspension came shortly after Penn State fired James Franklin as several major college opportunities have opened up this offseason. Franklin has since gone to Virginia Tech, but Kelly has yet to find his next landing spot.
LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly looks on during warmups before the game against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at Tiger Stadium. (Stephen Lew/Imagn Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pakinomist APP
Kelly owns a 297-109-2 career 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 heading to Baton Rouge and also had stops at Central Michigan and Cincinnati.
