Fired LSU football coach Brian Kelly has officially filed a lawsuit against LSU’s Board of Supervisors, according to a report from ESPN’s Dan Wetzel.
Kelly’s suit alleges that LSU is attempting to fire Kelly for cause and avoid paying the full $54 million buyout owed under the terms of Kelly’s contract.
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Earlier this week, it was reported that LSU had made two settlement offers to Kelly. The first was $25 million and the second offer was upped to $30 million. Both would have been lump-sum payments, axing the duty to mitigate clause and offset language in Kelly’s contract. Kelly’s representatives gave LSU a deadline of Monday to signal intent to pay the buyout.
ESPN reports that the suit alleges LSU claimed that Kelly “had not been formally terminated” and that LSU informed Kelly that the university “believed grounds for termination for cause existed.”
A key point of contention is whether former LSU AD Scott Woodward, who separated from LSU a few days after firing Kelly, had the authority to fire Kelly and make settlement offers. Kelly’s suit alleges that LSU is now claiming Woodward did not have the authority to take those actions. Kelly’s representatives dispute the idea that Woodward was not acting with authority and disagree with the notion that Kelly wasn’t “formally terminated.”
Kelly and LSU went their separate ways on Oct. 26, a day after LSU fell to 5-3 with a 49-25 loss to Texas A&M. LSU began 2025 with high hopes, but a lackluster offense prevented LSU from competing at the top of the SEC. Pressure was mounting on Kelly as the program failed to build momentum after back-to-back double-digit win seasons in 2022 and 2023.
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It appears LSU and Kelly are both dug in and ready to fight. With Kelly opting to file suit, this will likely be a long and drawn-out process.
Brian Kelly Buyout
If LSU does end up paying the full buyout of $54 million, it will be the second-largest buyout in college football history, only behind Texas A&M’s $76.8 million buyout of Jimbo Fisher.
If LSU fires Kelly for cause, the full buyout amount is not owed. Right now, its unclear what evidence LSU had to fire Kelly with cause, as the lawsuit alleges LSU claims.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Brian Kelly files lawsuit against LSU amid buyout dispute
