The LSU/Brian Kelly saga has come to an end. LSU officials sent Brian Kelly a formal termination letter. In it, the university stated that Kelly was “fired without cause.” This means that LSU will owe Kelly $54 million.
The letter from LSU President Wade Rousse arrived Wednesday evening, ending a month-long legal standoff that saw Kelly hire powerhouse firm Skadden Arps to enforce his contract.
The Governor’s Meddling Backfired
What should have been a straightforward buyout turned into a circus when Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry decided to play athletic director. Landry “lambasted the buyout” publicly and told multiple parties the state wouldn’t pay.
Bad move. Kelly’s lawyers set a firm deadline for LSU to confirm his “without cause” designation. When LSU suggested “grounds for termination for cause existed” during a November 10 call, Kelly sued within hours.
The Numbers Game
LSU initially tried lowball settlement offers of $25 million and $30 million in lump sums. Kelly rejected both, holding out for the full contractual amount to be paid in monthly six-figure installments.
The contract includes an offset clause—if Kelly lands another coaching job, LSU only pays the difference between his new salary and the buyout terms. But he’d need to earn massive money to significantly dent that $54 million obligation.
What’s Next
Kelly’s lawsuit gets dismissed Monday. LSU starts cutting checks for one of college football’s most expensive coaching failures.
The real question: Will any program be desperate enough to hire Kelly at a salary that meaningfully reduces LSU’s tab? At this point, the Tigers are probably hoping someone offers him $5 million a year just to cut their losses.
