Former LSU football coach Brian Kelly's first public comments since being fired

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

BATON ROUGE — Former LSU football head coach Brian Kelly issued a statement Thursday afternoon via his social media pages, his first public comments since his firing.

Kelly’s tenure as Tigers coach ended Sunday, Oct. 26, less than 24 hours after his team suffered an embarrassing 49-25 loss to Texas A&M inside Tiger Stadium.

In three-plus seasons, Kelly was 34-14, a respectable record. But he failed to lead LSU back to the College Football Playoff and the loss to A&M removed any hope the program would make it in 2025.

WHAT LSU IS PAYING FORMER AD SCOTT WOODWARD

Kelly is owed a $54 million buyout of the remaining six years left on his contract with LSU but said he is open to a settlement of those terms if “it makes sense financially.”

In his first public comments since he was fired, Kelly thanked LSU for the opportunity, its fan base and wished interim head coach Frank Wilson and the team well going forward.

“Moving to Baton Rouge four years ago, my family and I were clear. There would be no halfway. We would be all-in for LSU and for Louisiana,” Kelly wrote. “This journey began with great expectations with my own vision of how to get there. Sometimes the journey does not end the way we hope. 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. My daughter and son earning advanced degrees from LSU and a third who began his career working at the university.

“The roar of Death Valley when we beat Alabama. The losses will always hurt, but I will remember all of the wins. I don’t need to tell any of you how special Saturday nights in Tiger Stadium are. I am honored to have worn the purple and gold and been a part of it. 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. We will be watching and cheering for you. This journey may have ended, but it’s a journey that will stay with me and my family forever.”

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Former LSU football coach Brian Kelly’s first comments since firing

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos