Baton Rouge, LA — The LSU Tigers have officially parted ways with head coach Brian Kelly, ending a high-stakes tenure that fell short of the program’s sky-high expectations.
Kelly, who joined LSU in December 2021 after an impressive run at Notre Dame, was brought in to deliver championships to Baton Rouge. Instead, LSU’s 2025 campaign collapsed under inconsistency, culminating in a 49-25 home loss to Texas A&M that proved to be the final straw.
“When Coach Kelly arrived, we had high hopes that he would lead us to multiple SEC and national championships,” LSU’s official statement read. “Ultimately, the success at the level that LSU demands simply did not materialize.”
Despite a 10-year, $95 million contract — one of the richest in college football history — Kelly’s LSU teams struggled to establish dominance in the SEC. The Tigers posted respectable offensive numbers but failed to compete against top-tier rivals like Alabama and Georgia.
Fan frustration boiled over throughout the 2025 season, with “Fire Kelly” chants echoing in Death Valley. Alumni and boosters reportedly pressured the university’s athletic department to make a change before the season’s end.
According to multiple reports, LSU’s decision will cost the school roughly $54 million in buyout payments — one of the largest in college football history. Still, LSU’s administration deemed the move necessary to restore faith in the program.
Kelly departs with a mixed legacy: a coach who brought structure and discipline, but never delivered the signature wins that LSU fans expected. As the search begins for his replacement, the Tigers once again find themselves at a crossroads between patience and ambition.