Brian Kelly Sends Message on LSU's Lane Kiffin Months After Firing
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Brian Kelly was dismissed from his head coaching duties by the LSU Tigers management back in October. The buyout was set at $54 million to be paid over a tenure of six years. So if he doesn’t take up another high-paying head coaching job, his earnings will be taken care of even if he sits at home.
This fact puts into perspective how much revenue college football generates. Kelly recently joined “SiriusXM College Sports Radio” to speak on the matter.
“College football is not in a bad place,” Kelly said. “The revenue is ridiculous. I don’t even know how LSU is doing it. They’re paying Lane Kiffin… they’re paying me.”
Brian Kelly just told us on @SXMCollege that Lane Kiffin’s current roster at LSU is over $40 million 👀
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) March 6, 2026
Louisiana replaced Kelly with Lane Kiffin and offered him the third-highest-paying contract — a $91 million agreement over seven years. Kelly went on to reveal that LSU is spending big on its current roster under the former Ole Miss Rebels coach.
“The money is out there. College football is still in a pretty good place,” he added, after which he revealed that the current roster is worth more than $40 million.
Kelly compiled a 34–14 record in four seasons at LSU before being fired. He arrived for the 2022 season after leaving Notre Dame, producing three consecutive bowl wins and guiding the Tigers to a 10-win debut.
High expectations and inconsistent results against ranked SEC opponents defined his tenure. He opened the season with four straight wins but went on to lose three of the next four. After a 49-25 loss to the Texas A&M Aggies, Kelly was shown the door.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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