What is Brian Kelly's Buyout With LSU Football? 2025 Contract Details, Salary

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers continue to struggle in 2025 with the program's College Football Playoff hopes evaporating on Saturday night in Death Valley.

A program that entered the 2025 season with a "College Football Playoff or bust" mentality, the Bayou Bengals are officially near rock bottom with the program on the verge of falling to 5-3 in Week 9 against Texas A&M.

Now, the LSU Tigers' fanbase is taking to social media to call for change to the staff in Baton Rouge - starting with the head coach.

Kelly entered the 2025 season as college football's eighth highest-paid head coach with a $10,175,000 salary in 2025, according to USA TODAY Sports' annual database of college coaches' salaries. He also can receive a maximum of $1,325,000 in bonus money.

After piecing together one of the most expensive rosters in college football during the offseason, the LSU Tigers assembled the No. 1 Transfer Portal Class in America with the Tigers going "all-in" on the year.

LSU Tigers Football: Brian Kelly. — Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

A 2025 offseason that saw multiple coaching changes for LSU, a collective buy-in from the program, and one of the most talented overall rosters in the nation, the Tigers remain in a challenging spot.

Now, the fan base in Baton Rouge is calling for change in Baton Rouge with the "Kelly Era" becoming a challenge.

A significant issue for the program: Kelly's buyout.

Kelly has one of the largest buyouts in college football where LSU would owe their head coach $53,293,333, as of December 1, 2025, if the Tigers fired him without cause, according to USA Today.

The Top-10 Highest Buyouts:

1. Kirby Smart, Georgia: $105,107,583
2. Ryan Day, Ohio State: $70,916,667
3. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama: $60,843,750
4. Steve Sarkisian, Texas: $60,307,500
5. Dabo Swinney, Clemson: $60,000,000
6. Mike Norvell, Florida State: $58,667,708
7. Dan Lanning, Oregon: $56,733,333
8. Curt Cignetti, Indiana: $56,700,000
9. Brian Kelly, LSU: $53,293,333
10. Matt Rhule, Nebraska: $49,612,500
11. Bret Bielema, Illinois: $49,491,666

Brian Kelly's Thoughts: Physicality an Issue in 2025

“Well, I think we need to be more physical. I think there’s always the need for physicality, right? How you play this game really is about who you are. You know, football is a game of violent collisions,” Kelly said.

“Certainly, from an offensive line standpoint, everybody’s going to look towards the physicality there on the offensive line. Those are the best five guys we’ve got out there. If we had another group, we’d certainly play them as well.

"So listen, everybody is going to look at this and has their opinions, and I respect everybody’s. But there’s no doubt that any time you evaluate your football team, the first thing you’re going to look for is physicality.”

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Updated AP Top-25 Poll: LSU Football Falls, Oklahoma Sooners Cruise in Rankings

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