The firing of Brian Kelly shook the college football world. Kelly was shown the door just 3.5 years into his 10-year contract, and his buyout of $53.3 million is the second-highest in the history of college football. The exact details of his buyout are still in the works, as Kelly is "open" to reaching a settlement with the university.
LSU football linked to SEC DC to replace Brian Kelly that fans are totally split on
Since his firing, Kelly has been quiet. Most coaches tend to post a statement and/or graphic on social media thanking the university and the fans after they are fired. But Kelly didn't do that - until today. It's been nearly 2 weeks since Kelly was fired, and he's finally made a public statement.
Brian Kelly finally issues public statement after LSU firing
Kelly opens his statement by saying how he and his family were "all-in" for LSU and Louisiana. He discusses the great expectations he had for his LSU tenure, but as the now former Tiger head coach said, "Sometimes the journey does not end the way we hope."
— Brian Kelly (@CoachBrianKelly) November 6, 2025
Kelly reflects fondly of his time in Baton Rouge saying "But when I think of our time together, I will remember and appreciate what we did accomplish. All of the exceptional student-athletes I had the privilege to coach. A Heisman Trophy winner and more than a dozen Tigers playing on Sundays. 39 players earning SEC Academic Honor Roll honors in 2024 alone."
Kelly also wished the best to the current Tigers coaching staff and players as they prepare to face No. 4 Alabama on Saturday. "As everyone heads on their way to see the Tigers play, I wish Coach Wilson, the coaches and our players the best this weekend. I know they will do their best for themselves and for LSU." Kelly's signature win at LSU came back in his first season when the Tigers defeated the Crimson Tide in thrilling overtime fashion by a score of 32-31 in Tiger Stadium.
Kelly ends his statement saying, "The journey may have ended, but it's a journey that will stay with me and my family forever." He leaves LSU with a 34-14 overall record that includes a 19-10 mark in SEC play. The Tigers appeared in just one SEC title game under Kelly, and never qualified for the College Football Playoff.
The timing of the statement is a bit peculiar, as coaches tend to make these sort of statements in the mere hours following getting fired. For example, Auburn's Hugh Freeze posted his first public statement the night of his firing last weekend. Why did Kelly wait nearly two weeks to post his? Perhaps his buyout settlement negotiations played a part. Perhaps the chaos surrounding LSU athletics over the past week and a half had an impact. Or perhaps he wanted to wait until the bye week was nearly over. We may never really know. LSU's first game without Kelly is slated for this Saturday night in Tuscaloosa against Alabama. Kick-off is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT.