Brian Kelly’s team started off their season on a promising note, ranking 9th in the AP poll and beating Clemson in their season opener. That win pushed them to the no. 3 spot, after which wins against Louisiana Tech, Florida, and Southeast Louisiana, giving them a perfect 4-0 run. But that’s when the wheels came off when they landed back-to-back losses to Vandy and Texas A&M. That’s when LSU pulled the trigger and fired him. But a hefty buyout still remained their major concern until a donor came in to help them.

Even though he is no longer with the LSU Tigers, he will be paid $53 million because of their contractual buyout.  So, as per their contract, if LSU fires Brian Kelly, he has to look for another job, which comes under the duty to mitigate clause. In that case, LSU wouldn’t owe him the full buyout; they would only have to pay the difference between his new job and the remaining buyout. So, now that it’s not the case, LSU has to pay him 90% of his salary for 6 years, as they fired him.

Now, he came into the program from Notre Dame in 2021, signing a 10-year deal for $95 million, including incentives, until December 2031. He would receive $740k a month if his buyout is not negotiated. That’s a really big amount to pay for the Tigers. But it looks like that’s not the concern anymore, as reporter Travers Mackel breaks the news on X that a private donor stepped in to pay the buyout. UPDATE: Multiple sources confirm to @wdsu that 1 private donor is expected to pay the lion’s share of Brian Kelly’s buyout. Also, @LSU Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott Ballard says ZERO public money set aside for education, salaries, or scholarships will be used.”

The identity of the donor is not known, but it will be a massive boost to the LSU Tigers’ financial condition. What makes it even more interesting is all money will come from this donation and self-generated football funds. So, Brian Kelly’s buyout will not cut short university functions, programs, or educational opportunities, as all money is coming from the donors. This comes in as a big push for the program, which has been trying to make its presence felt for years.

Firing Kelly doesn’t come off as a big shock knowing LSU’s condition under him. They were 10-4 in 2022, then went 10-3 in 2023, and last season totally shook them when they finished with a 9-4 record. This season, things got worse with a 5-3 start once again; playoff hopes were shattered for the Tigers, and he ended his tenure with a 34-14 win and a disappointing 19-10 SEC record.

But amidst of his buyout concerns governors influence on Brian Kelly’s firing makes headlines.

Brian Kelly’s firing involves political pressure

In less than 24 hours of losing against Texas A&M, LSU fired Brian Kelly on Sunday, which was a result of a heated meeting between Kelly and their AD, Scott Woodward, regarding assistant coach changes. The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reported that Woodward wanted Kelly to fire Joe Sloan to fix their offensive woes, as they currently rank last in the SEC in rushing yards. But Kelly didn’t want that; rather, he was hoping to make other staff changes. That situation escalated and ended up in getting him fired.

But even the governor had his influence on the entire matter. Because the team didn’t have a permanent president after William F. Tate IV departed for Rutgers, the team functioned under Matt Lee as he took the interim position. So, without a confirmed president, Governor Jeff Landry’s involvement became evident. That’s exactly why the decision was made in his office. Now, Landry was already unhappy with LSU’s blowout against the Aggies, as he tweeted, “LSU Board of Supervisors needs to rethink their actions to raise ticket prices for next year after tonight’s showing.”

After discussion on LSU’s future and the team’s success, Brian Kelly was taken out of the program. Now, it will be interesting to see who replaces him after all this mess.