There is growing media speculation around Brian Kelly and Rutgers amid Greg Schiano’s winless 0–3 start. At this point, no formal offer or pitch from Rutgers leadership has been reported. Just a few months into his full-time TV role, the former LSU head coach feels a sense of unease about the speculations and a sense of empathy for coaches currently on the hot seat.

Addressing the situation directly, Kelly shared his discomfort during an appearance on SiriusXM, saying, “You hate hearing the rumors, because that means somebody’s job is being evaluated. It’s uncomfortable for me. I don’t feel easy about it. I’m pulling for the guy that’s got that job, and I want to see him do well,” he added.

Rutgers AD Keli Zinn and university president William Tate worked alongside Kelly at LSU prior to his departure. That built-in familiarity, paired with Greg Schiano’s tough 0–3 start to the 2026 season, quickly made Kelly a primary fan and media target for a potential comeback on the field.

Rutgers kicked off the season with a disastrous 37–21 home loss to UMass—a defeat widely called one of the most embarrassing in modern program history. The Scarlet Knights failed to rebound in subsequent weeks, suffering a 28–21 loss to Boston College and a 42–35 shootout against USC, with execution errors and a staggering 10 turnovers across the three-game span compounding the program’s struggles.

Reflecting on the team’s performance, Schiano was blunt about his responsibilities: “There’s nobody to blame but me; I have to figure out how to do it as a head coach after 39 years of doing this.”

The links make sense because this is the first time that Kelly has gone this long in almost three decades. The Tigers were also the first program that fired Kelly during his 22-year run as a head coach. Before that, he always got a promotion in terms of the stature of the program. Cincinnati hired him from Central Michigan. Following that, Notre Dame poached him from the Bearcats. In 2021, LSU did the same to the Irish.

Given the break has come after such a long time, Kelly has spent most of his offseason doing activities he didn’t find time for earlier. The former LSU head coach hosted events for the Kelly Cares Foundation. Along with that, he was also part of CBS’s coverage of the NFL Draft. For the 2026 campaign, Kelly has signed with CBS as an analyst. It remains to be seen how long he carries on in his TV role before a CFB program lures him away.

Brian Kelly and his LSU exit

Kelly’s experience at LSU, where he was fired after three seasons despite a $95 million contract, may explain his extreme caution and reluctance regarding another high-pressure role.

LSU hired Kelly away from Notre Dame in late 2021 on a massive 10-year deal, aiming to win a national championship and match the standard set by preceding coaches Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Ed Orgeron. While Kelly had initial success, things unraveled during the 2025 season.

On October 26, 2025, after starting the season 5–3 and suffering a blowout 49–25 home loss to Texas A&M, the university officially terminated him. The program had repeatedly failed to crack the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff field, and the defense had fallen into statistical ruin.

LSU initially explored a “for cause” termination based on alleged workplace performance misconduct, pushing back on paying Kelly’s full contract balance. In response, Kelly took the aggressive step of suing LSU in November 2025 seeking a declaratory judgment proving he was fired strictly for on-field record reasons.

Under newly appointed President Wade Rousse, LSU reversed course and sent a formal termination letter declaring Kelly was officially fired “without cause.” LSU agreed to pay Kelly his full contractual obligation of $54 million in monthly installments through 2031.

Kelly can still joke about the regional pressures that come with major coaching shifts. “My family feels I can fake any accent no matter where I go,” Kelly teasingly added. “I can do the Jersey accent. I can do any one you want.”