Brian Kelly lands new job following LSU firing

Yahoo SportsYesterday2 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Brian Kelly, former LSU football coach, has transitioned to a TV commentary role after being fired mid-season. He ended his tenure at LSU with a 34-14 record and is now focusing on the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft while managing a $54 million buyout.

Brian Kelly lands new job following LSU firing originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Former LSU Tigers football coach Brian Kelly has moved on from his days in Baton Rouge.

After being fired mid-season and forced to be in the middle of a tumultuous buyout process, Kelly now enters the TV commentary realm before the 2026 NFL Draft. While some coaches take on the gig to fill the gaps, this might be one Kelly keeps for the foreseeable future. He recently appeared on CBS Sports Network to break down this year's list of players.

Kelly ended with a 34-14 record at LSU. A 49-25 loss to Texas A&M was the turning point for the program before pulling Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss. The $54 million buyout for Kelly wasn't a record-high, but put a dent in LSU's bottom line, which already started in the red and has about $150 million over the next seven years between Kelly and Kiffn's contracts. Not to mention, the over $50 million in football roster spending this year.

Going the direction of TV work will be beneficial for Kelly. He'll maintain the terms of his buyout and stay involved with college football at a different capacity. As for coaching, he hasn't shut the door just yet.

More:Why LSU football and Lane Kiffin canceled the spring game in 2026

“I don’t know that I’ve made the decision that I want to get back in," Kelly told SiriusXM’s “Dusty and Danny in the Morning back in March. "I think while you wait, you need to work. And so, I need to stay in the game. My first order of business is this next two, three weeks, I’m gonna be visiting some places to see spring ball, get a chance to see some things relative to the football side, the operational side."