Brian Kelly is getting paid an awful lot of money to coach the LSU Tigers, who are now 5-2 overall and just 2-2 in the SEC following a 31-24 road loss to No. 17 Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Kelly — who’s in his fourth season with No. 10 LSU — is college football’s eighth highest-paid head coach with a $10,175,000 salary in 2025, according to USA TODAY Sports’ annual database of college coaches’ salaries, published October 8, 2025. He also can receive a maximum of $1,325,000 in bonus money.
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But given that LSU is hanging out around the middle of the SEC standings and not exactly looking like a College Football Playoff national title contender, some fans may be wondering what exactly the Tigers would have to pay to relieve Kelly of his duties in Baton Rouge.
How much is Brian Kelly’s buyout at LSU?
Like his salary, Brian Kelly’s buyout is among the top-10 biggest in college football. According to USA TODAY Sports’ database of college coaches’ salaries, LSU would owe Kelly $53,293,333, as of December 1, 2025, if the Tigers fired him without cause.
How much can Brian Kelly earn in bonuses?
In 2025, Kelly can earn a maximum of $1,325,000 in bonuses, according to USA TODAY Sports’ database of college coaches’ salaries. In 2024-25, he earned $550,000 in bonuses.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: How much is LSU coach Brian Kelly’s buyout? 2025 salary, contract details
