Brian Kelly's contract states that the head coach will be owed 90 percent of his salary through what's left on his contract. Since he still has six more seasons remaining, that puts his buyout at $53,293,333, according to USA Today .

Kelly may not survive a 7-5 season, especially when considering all the resources that were put into this team via NIL deals and the transfer portal. Coaches are getting fired left and right at the moment, and Kelly is no "bigger" of a name in the sport than James Franklin or Mike Gundy.

LSU football lost one of its top defenders vs. South Carolina. Will he be ready when the Tigers face Vanderbilt?

Brian Kelly could soon be getting a very large paycheck without any pressure to win games as the LSU football head coach.

LSU suffered its second loss of the season. It fell 31-24 at Vanderbilt Saturday in Week 8 of the 2025 college football season. In a back-and-forth first half, LSU scored a touchdown and two field goals but the Commodores went into the break with a 17-13 lead. They added seven to their lead on the first possession following halftime.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly said starting left tackle Tyree Adams had ankle surgery this week and may not return this season.