Brian Kelly Denies Allegations Made by Greg Brooks Jr.'s Father

The father of the former LSU player claimed that Kelly has not been present since his son's surgery for brain cancer.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly issued a strong rebuttal to claims that he has not been supportive of former player Greg Brooks Jr. following brain tumor. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

LSU head football coach Brian Kelly issued a strong denial to claims made by former player Greg Brooks Jr.'s father that the Tigers head coach has not been in contact with the family since Brooks Jr.'s brain cancer diagnosis.

Brooks and his father, Greg Brooks Sr., have sued LSU for negligence around the circumstances leading to Brooks's diagnosis of a brain tumor. Brooks Sr. and Brooks Jr. told Good Morning America's Michael Strahan that Kelly has not been present since Brooks Jr.'s operation.

"My son almost lost his life. Coach, where were you?" Brooks Sr. said. "Forget about football. Pick up the phone and say you love the kid, man."

Kelly addressed the media during Wednesday's national signing day, and issued a strong rebuttal to the accounts portrayed by the Brooks family.

"It is factually incorrect to state that I was not there by Greg's side through this ordeal," Kelly said. "I was there on multiple occasions. We had somebody from my staff that was there virtually every single day. We love Greg. We love him for the person that he is, for the competitor that he is, and the battler that he is, and can only wish him continued progress as he goes through an incredibly difficult time."

Kelly took umbrage with Brooks Sr.'s account of his support of Brooks Jr. and it clearly struck a nerve with the Tigers head coach, as he alluded to at the end of his statement.

"It rattled me that somebody could be so factually incorrect in stating that I was not part of Greg Brooks Jr.'s care and support and the support was the entire university, the entire community."

Kelly further added, "That comment struck a nerve with me."

Brian Kelly with a powerful message surrounding Greg Brooks and the GMA interview from this week.

“It is factually incorrect to state I was not there by Greg’s side during this ordeal. We love Greg… That comment struck a nerve with me.”

Huge message.

🎥: @LSUfootball pic.twitter.com/1IARugvhZ3

— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) February 5, 2025

Brooks Jr. is now using a wheelchair as he recovers from his brain surgery, and is going through rehab to improve his speech and motor skills.

On Thursday, Brooks Jr.'s attorneys responded to Kelly's statement.

"It was difficult for Greg Brooks Jr. to listen to LSU coach Brian Kelly say he was by his side through this ordeal and then accuse his father of making a false statement when the reality is that Coach Kelly has not contacted Greg Jr. in over 16 months," Brooks Jr.'s legal team told SI. "Neither Coach Kelly nor LSU has denied what Greg’s father said during the (Good Morning America) interview: that Greg has not heard from Coach Kelly since October 2023, long before the lawsuit was filed."

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