LSU agreed to pay Brian Kelly his full $54 million buyout after firing him during the 2025 season, ending a lawsuit Kelly filed over the payment. It is the second largest buyout in college football history behind Jimbo Fisher’s at Texas A&M, and it reshaped how LSU wrote its next coaching contract.
BRIAN KELLY · LSU BUYOUT
$54 million, paid in full
Fired Oct. 2025 · Sued over the payment · Second largest buyout ever
| Buyout | $54 million |
| Original contract | 10 years and more than $100 million, signed when he left Notre Dame in 2021 |
| The dispute | Kelly sued LSU over the buyout; LSU then agreed to pay the full amount, ending the suit |
| Fallout | Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry publicly criticized the contract, and athletic director Scott Woodward, who negotiated it, resigned |
| Replacement | Lane Kiffin, on a seven year, $91 million deal with an even larger guarantee and no offset |
The Largest Buyouts in College Football
| Coach | School | Buyout |
|---|---|---|
| Jimbo Fisher | Texas A&M | About $76 million |
| Brian Kelly | LSU | $54 million |
| Billy Napier | Florida | About $21 million |
| Hugh Freeze | Auburn | $15.8 million |
| Mike Gundy | Oklahoma State | $15 million |
Figures are from reporting by Front Office Sports, The Advocate and WRUF. More on college football coach buyouts.
The Bottom Line
LSU paid Brian Kelly his full $54 million buyout after firing him in 2025 and settling his lawsuit, the second largest buyout in the sport. It then hired Lane Kiffin at $13 million a year. Follow the Tigers on the LSU football schedule and LSU NIL.