Brian Kelly has filed a lawsuit against LSU, asking a Louisiana court to confirm the school fired him without cause and that he is owed the full remaining value of his contract.
According to the lawsuit, which was obtained by The Athletic, LSU’s representatives informed Kelly’s representatives on a call on Monday that the former coach had not been formally terminated when the school announced a coaching change on Oct. 26, and that grounds for termination with cause existed. If LSU were to have terminated Kelly with cause, it would not have to pay his full buyout of about $53 million.
The lawsuit does not detail why LSU officials would have reason to justify firing Kelly for cause. It states that on Oct. 26, the coach met with then-athletic director Scott Woodward, deputy AD Julie Cromer, associate AD Austin Thomas and deputy AD Verge Ausberry and was told he was fired without cause. Later that day, Kelly expressed to Woodward that he would be open to LSU’s desire for a buyout settlement. Kelly’s firing was announced later that day, with on-field performance cited as the reason.
LSU first offered Kelly a lump-sum payment of $25 million with no offset, meaning Kelly would receive the $25 million even if he took another job, according to the suit. LSU later upped the offer to $30 million over two payments, with no offset. The purpose of such offers is that they could allow a coach who wants to continue in the profession to earn more money in the long run, rather than dealing with future offset from a previous job. Les Miles negotiated a smaller lump sum when he was fired by LSU in 2018.
It wasn’t until Monday that LSU officials told Kelly’s representatives that he hadn’t formally been terminated, that grounds for termination for cause existed, and that Woodward did not have the ability to fire Kelly or make settlement offers, the suit states. Woodward and the school agreed to part ways four days after the coaching change was announced and amid criticism of the athletic department from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry.
An LSU spokesman said the university had no comment.
“The lawsuit is being reviewed by the Attorney General and LSU,” a spokesperson for the Louisiana Attorney General’s office said. “We have no further comment on pending litigation.”
If Kelly were to be fired for cause, the school must inform him in writing and provide seven days for a “cure” period before formally doing so.
Kelly was let go eight games into the season, the day after a blowout loss at home to Texas A&M. The 64-year-old was hired away from Notre Dame after the 2021 regular season and given a 10-year contract by LSU. He was 34-14 in three-plus seasons in Baton Rouge.
The buyout for Kelly would be the second-largest in college sports, behind the $77 million Texas A&M paid to Jimbo Fisher after he was fired in 2023. Kelly’s buyout provision states that he is required to exercise due diligence and good faith to seek qualified employment to offset the money owed to him. In other words, he must try to get another coaching job to continue to receive the buyout.
On Nov. 5, Kelly requested that LSU confirm in writing by Monday that it intended to honor its contractual obligations to pay Kelly his buyout, but that Kelly remained open to further settlement offers.
After Woodward’s departure, the board elevated Ausberry to interim athletic director. Days later, new LSU President Wade Rousse removed Ausberry’s interim tag.