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Brian Kelly faces fire calls after LSU Tigers' latest loss; buyout and contract details in focus
Brian Kelly is facing intense scrutiny, especially after the LSU Tigers' disappointing 31-24 loss against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday.
Brian Kelly is facing intense scrutiny, especially after the LSU Tigers' disappointing 31-24 loss against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday. Fans are now demanding that the program fire the 63-year-old. However, his buyout and contract details can make any action very complicated.
The Tigers sit at 5-2 overall and 2-2 in SEC play following the loss to No 17 Vanderbilt. Now in his fourth season leading the No 10-ranked Tigers, Kelly is among college football’s highest-paid coaches.
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“Find the buyout money. Don’t care how much it is or how you get it. Find it. And fire Brian Kelly. Enough is enough. Inexcusable,” a fan wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
“Brian Kelly getting fired and we hire James Franklin,” another one tweeted.
“We lost to Vanderbilt. Brian Kelly has ruined this program,” a third Tigers fan posted.
Brian Kelly contract and buyout details
According to USA TODAY Sports’ annual salary database, Kelly earns $10,175,000 this season, ranking eighth among FBS head coaches. His contract also allows him to collect up to $1.325 million in performance bonuses. Last year, he took home $550,000 in incentives.
But with LSU struggling to meet championship expectations, attention has shifted to what it might cost the university to part ways with its high-priced coach. As of December 1, 2025, if the Tigers were to fire Kelly without cause, the school would owe him an eye-popping $53,293,333, one of the largest buyouts in college football.
That massive safety net underscores LSU’s long-term investment in Kelly, who was brought in to restore the Tigers to national prominence. Yet as midseason frustrations grow and playoff hopes fade, many fans are beginning to question whether the return has been worth the price tag.
