LSU moved on from Brian Kelly last season after a brutal home loss to Texas A&M, triggering a massive buyout. The program tried to negotiate a small lump-sum amount, but Kelly sued for the full $54 million that he owed. The Tigers eventually relented and agreed to pay the buyout in monthly installments over six years. And with that money guaranteed, the former LSU head coach can rest before taking his next job. However, there’s a caveat.

“I’ve been asked what’s next for Brian Kelly as LSU fans kind of put him in the rearview mirror, but they’re kind of wondering, with the money that’s being paid out, what’s the future for him? If there [are] any possibilities of coaching?” Chris Landry, a veteran college and NFL coach, said on his show ‘Landry Football’ on May 29, while addressing questions about Kelly’s future. “Certainly not this year.”

However, that doesn’t mean Kelly’s name won’t come up when programs look to hire their new head coach. And he won’t publicly say that he is taking it easy this year.

“He’s not really looking for just any job. He’s got a lot of money. He is saying, ‘Hey, the right opportunity, I’d be interested in.’ I think he’s got to say that legally to protect himself, because in the clause of this contract, he’s got to be actively looking,” Landry added.

Brian Kelly’s LSU contract contains a ‘duty to mitigate’ clause. That’s why he must make a “good-faith and reasonable effort” to secure football-related employment to receive his paycheck from LSU. If any program hires him, his new salary will act as an “offset.” LSU will pay Kelly the difference between his buyout terms and his new income.

And while Kelly has to seek employment, he doesn’t have to take any job he comes across. For instance, if a lower-tier program like Eastern Michigan offers Kelly a head coaching position, he can legally decline it. It won’t violate his “duty to mitigate” clause, so his $54 million won’t be in jeopardy. However, he isn’t unemployed right now. He joined CBS Sports as a football analyst in April 2026. That’s where Landry sees him continuing.

“Brian Kelly is going to be doing some work for CBS Online. I don’t think he’s going to be on the big CBS shows, but I think he’s going to be involved in some media work now. Maybe he’ll end up being on the big CBS show,” said Landry. “I don’t know how that’s going to work out for him, but one thing about it, Brian knows how to talk, so he’ll talk, and as you know, on TV and radio, you can just talk and say good things and get people excited, so he’ll do that.”

Like Kelly, former PSU head coach James Franklin’s contract contained a “duty to mitigate” and “offset” clause. But Franklin and PSU negotiated his $49 million buyout down to $9 million. This was done to reduce the burden on regulations.

For example, if Franklin sat out and didn’t take a job, Penn State would be forced to pay him the full $49 million in monthly installments over six years. But if he signed a new contract elsewhere making $7 million per year, Penn State’s annual financial obligation to him would drop significantly. Instead of dealing with complex, year-to-year math tracking exactly how much Virginia Tech was paying Franklin versus what Penn State owed, both sides agreed to a $9 million flat-fee settlement to completely void the old contract.

This was a win-win deal. The Nittany Lions saved a staggering $40 million in cap space. Firing Franklin threatened to drain the athletic department’s budget. Getting away with a clean $9 million payment allowed Penn State to fully reallocate its money toward hiring its next head coach, preparing for upcoming revenue-sharing models, and funding the $700 million renovation of Beaver Stadium. For Franklin, he could jump to the next coaching job without any hiccups or drawn out legal documents coming in the way.

Brian Kelly’s take on his coaching future

LSU was the first time Kelly was fired in his coaching career. He got his first major opportunity with Cincinnati from 2006 to 2009. He led them to two Big East Conference title wins. Then, his days at Notre Dame were among the most successful, with 92 wins. He led the Irish in two CFP appearances and one BCS National Championship Game. But his LSU journey didn’t see that level of success.

Last season, following a 5-3 record, the Tigers fired Kelly. Since then, when he first talked about his return, he clarified that it would take time.

“I don’t know that I’ve made the decision that I want to get back in, as all the things we’ve talked about, I’d want to see some changes. But I think while you wait, you need to work. And so, I need to stay in the game,” said Kelly.

“I want to get out and. Look, I’ve got four former assistant coaches that are head football coaches in the NFL. I’ve got four Power Four assistant coaches that we’re close to. I want to get around and see their program, see how they’re doing, get a sense of where I can grow and I can be better. And so, that’s really my focus right now. And then if the right situation comes about and I’m ready, I’m certainly going to entertain that.”

Now, it’s a waiting game to see if he returns to coaching.