Brian Kelly Fired at LSU After Four-Year Tenure

LSU has officially parted ways with head football coach Brian Kelly, ending his time in Baton Rouge after a disappointing start to the 2025 season. The move comes on the heels of a lopsided 49-25 loss to Texas A&M. The final blow in what administrators viewed as a program that “failed to progress”.

Kelly was summoned into a series of high-level internal meetings with LSU leadership and key state figures signaling that the change was imminent.

A Costly Separation

Firing Kelly did not come cheap. LSU will owe the coach about $54 million to buy out the remainder of his contract. This is one of the largest payouts in college football history.

Assistant coach Frank Wilson will lead the Tigers on an interim basis as LSU begins yet another national search for a program-defining head coach.

Kelly exits LSU with a 34-14 overall record and a 19-10 SEC mark across three full seasons and part of a fourth.

He kept the Tigers in the national conversation, however, Kelly failed to deliver a championship or a playoff appearance.

What’s Next for the Tigers?

The LSU job remains one of the most coveted in the sport. With deep in-state talent and SEC prestige, this guarantees that national attention will follow the Tigers’ coaching search every step of the way.

As for Kelly, he leaves Baton Rouge with a hefty payout and plenty of time to consider his next move.

The pressure now shifts squarely onto LSU’s administration to make the right hire.

The university has made its expectations clear: championships or bust. Now the Tigers turn the page once again, searching for a leader who can restore the roar in Death Valley.