The LSU Tigers have officially ended the Brian Kelly era, firing the fourth-year head coach less than 24 hours after a disappointing 49-25 loss to Texas A&M. This decision marks a significant turning point for LSU football, which had hoped Kelly would restore the program to national prominence. However, the fallout from his dismissal is notable not only for the change in leadership but also for the enormous financial implications tied to his contract buyout.
Brian Kelly, who joined LSU in a bold move during the 2021 coaching carousel, signed a 10-year contract valued at over $58 million, with a salary of $9.4 million for the current season. His deal was set to run through 2031, with six years remaining at the time of his firing. The buyout clause in his contract stipulates that Kelly is entitled to 90% of his remaining salary, amounting to a staggering $52.38 million. This figure is expected to be among the largest buyouts ever paid to a college football coach, second only to Jimbo Fisher’s $76.8 million buyout following his firing by Texas A&M in November 2023.
Kelly’s departure comes amid a wave of high-profile coaching changes in college football during the 2025 season, underscoring the volatile nature of coaching tenures in the sport today. Notably, three of the five largest buyouts in college football history have occurred this season alone. Penn State’s recent dismissal of James Franklin resulted in a $49 million buyout, placing it just behind Kelly’s in terms of magnitude. Florida followed suit, firing Billy Napier, who is due to receive over $21 million after struggling to find consistent success during his tenure.
Kelly’s hire at LSU was initially seen as a major coup. The Tigers were coming off a national championship win two seasons prior under Ed Orgeron and hoped Kelly could elevate the program back to College Football Playoff (CFP) contention. Unfortunately, Kelly’s three full seasons at LSU failed to deliver on those expectations. LSU missed the CFP each year and appeared on track for another disappointing season after the loss to Texas A&M. The program now faces the daunting task of finding a new head coach while managing the financial strain of one of the largest buyouts in college football history.
To better understand the scale of Kelly’s buyout, it helps to place it within the context of other recent high-profile coaching dismissals:
- **Jimbo Fisher (Texas A&M):** Fisher’s $76.8 million buyout remains the largest in college football history. Texas A&M parted ways with Fisher after six seasons, despite moments of success such as their 9-1 record in the 2020 COVID-shortened season. Although Fisher never led the Aggies to a CFP appearance, Texas A&M’s decision to pay him off has seemingly paid dividends, as the program is currently undefeated at 8-0 and poised to secure its first-ever CFP berth.
- **Brian Kelly (LSU):** Kelly’s $53.8 million buyout reflects LSU’s ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to land a top-tier coach to restore the program’s glory. Despite the hefty financial commitment, Kelly’s tenure did not meet expectations, leading to his dismissal after a disappointing start to the 2025 season.
- **James Franklin (Penn State):** After a promising appearance in the CFP for the first time in program history, Penn State entered the 2025 season with high hopes. However, consecutive losses to Oregon, UCLA, and Northwestern triggered Franklin’s firing. His $49 million buyout underscores Penn State’s frustration with his inability to consistently win against ranked opponents, despite an overall respectable 104-45 record.
- **Gus Malzahn (Auburn):** Auburn has struggled to find coaching stability since Malzahn’s firing in 2020. Malzahn posted a 68-35 overall record, including 38-27 in SEC play, but the program has cycled through multiple coaches since. His $21.4 million buyout is one of the larger sums paid in recent years, and Auburn’s current coach, Hugh Freeze, is already under pressure to deliver results.
- **Billy Napier (Florida):** Napier’s $21.2 million buyout came after a tenure marked by inconsistency and underperformance, especially in SEC play. Despite an 8-5 finish in 2024 and optimism surrounding