Former LSU head coach Brian Kelly has filed a lawsuit against the university, accusing it of attempting to avoid paying his full $54 million buyout by retroactively claiming his firing was “for cause.” The legal battle marks an increasingly bitter dispute between the school and the coach it dismissed less than three weeks ago. The dispute between Kelly and LSU has left its athletic department in turmoil, raising questions about leadership stability and potential coaching candidates.
Kelly, who was fired on October 26 after nearly four seasons in Baton Rouge, had signed a 10-year, $95 million contract in 2021. The deal guaranteed him 90% of his remaining salary if terminated without cause — roughly $54 million paid in installments through 2031.
According to documents obtained by ESPN, LSU offered Kelly settlement payouts of $25 million and $30 million in an effort to negotiate a lower buyout, but he rejected both. His attorneys then sent a letter to new athletic director Verge Ausberry on November 5 demanding “full liquidated damages,” warning that if the university did not confirm the terms of his dismissal by November 10, Kelly would “pursue all available legal remedies.”
That deadline passed without resolution, and Kelly followed through — filing a lawsuit seeking a declaratory judgment that LSU terminated him without cause, thus entitling him to the full buyout. In the complaint, Kelly’s attorneys say LSU unexpectedly claimed he had not been “formally terminated” and was now being investigated for possible termination “for cause.” The filing states, “LSU’s representatives had a call with Coach Kelly’s representatives, where LSU took the position that Coach Kelly had not been formally terminated and informed Coach Kelly’s representatives, for the very first time, that LSU believed grounds for termination for cause existed.”
LSU reportedly told Kelly’s legal team that former athletic director Scott Woodward — who was fired shortly after Kelly’s dismissal — did not have the authority to fire him or negotiate settlement offers, suggesting Kelly’s termination was never official. Kelly’s attorneys dispute that claim, arguing LSU repeatedly acknowledged his firing was due to “the team’s performance, not for cause,” both privately and publicly. They say LSU failed to notify Kelly of any alleged “for cause” violations within the seven-day period required by his contract. Kelly’s deal outlined limited conditions for a “for cause” termination, including major NCAA violations, criminal convictions, or serious misconduct that “displays a continual, serious disrespect” for LSU’s mission.
Kelly went 34–14 during his tenure, leading the Tigers to an SEC West title in 2022 but failing to reach the College Football Playoff. His firing came one day after a lopsided 49–25 home loss to Texas A&M that saw LSU surrender 35 second-half points. Interim coach Frank Wilson has since taken over, with the Tigers holding a 5–4 following a loss to Alabama.
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