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Brian Kelly filed a lawsuit against LSU, claiming the school was trying to avoid his $54 million buyout for the coach after allegedly telling Kelly’s representatives that it had not officially fired him.
Kelly coached his last 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 interim head coach on LSU’s website.
However, the suit claims Kelly’s attorneys were informed Monday by the school that the university was considering firing 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 Southeast Louisiana Lions at Tiger Stadium. (Stephen Lew/Imagn Images)
“LSU representatives had a call with Coach Kelly’s representatives, during which LSU took the position that Coach Kelly had not been officially terminated and informed Coach Kelly’s representatives, for the first time ever, that LSU believed grounds for termination for cause existed,” the suit states, according to ESPN.
“LSU never asserted that Coach Kelly was terminated for cause and, prior to November 10, 2025, never asserted that he engaged in conduct that would warrant such termination,” the lawsuit continues. “To the contrary, LSU has repeatedly confirmed, publicly and to Coach Kelly, that the dismissal was due to team performance, and not for cause.”
When Kelly’s departure was officially announced, 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, success at the level LSU demanded just didn’t materialize, and I made the decision to make a change after last night’s game.
Woodward has since left his post after Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said he would not allow Woodward to hire the next coach, saying he would prefer President Donald Trump make the decision.
However, the suit claimed that LSU told Kelly’s representatives that Kelly was never officially fired since Woodward did not even have “the authority to fire Coach Kelly and/or make settlement offers to him.”
Louisiana State University head coach Brian Kelly during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, Saturday, August 30, 2025. (Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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In his feelings 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 fired by Texas A&M.
Current athletic director Verge Ausberry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kelly’s ouster came shortly after Penn State fired James Franklin, as several big-time college opportunities opened up this season.
In their first game after Kelly, LSU lost to No. 4 Alabama 20-9. They finish the season with Arkansas, Western Kentucky and Oklahoma.
Head coach Brian Kelly of the LSU Tigers 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 lifetime record of 297-109-2 dating back to his time 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 made stops at Central Michigan and Cincinnati.
