Brian Kelly's son Kenzel explains odd 'Free BK' fit at LSU game amid dad's $54M fight

No one likes drama more than LSU Tigers football.
Sept. 13, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA;  LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly looks on against the Florida Gators during the first half at Tiger Stadium.
Sept. 13, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly looks on against the Florida Gators during the first half at Tiger Stadium. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

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If you were like us, you had no idea that fired, or not fired, depending on who you believe in the petty dispute the LSU Tigers are waging against former head coach Brian Kelly, that he had a son on the team.

But when it comes to LSU football, the most surreal moment in a completely surreal season happened for Senior Night as Kenzel Kelly, a linebacker on the Tigers, ran out solo for his big introduction.

RELATED: Landry Kiffin flaunts LSU game-day fit selfie as dad Lane tortures Tigers, Ole Miss

Brian Kell
Oct. 11, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly looks on against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first half at Tiger Stadium. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

After getting some kudos from players like fellow linebacker Whit Weeks, who is dating Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin's daughter Landry, of course the rumored soon-to-be next head coach (Lane, not Landry), Kenzel awkwardly turns to the camera and says, "Free my boy BK."

RELATED: Lane Kiffin’s wife Layla turns heads at son Knox’s playoff win amid $90M LSU drama

As the tweet above astutely points out, BK is not in prison. His dad is battling LSU and Louisiana governor Jeff Landry for the $54 million buyout that is part of his contract, which the state and administration is fighting tooth and nail, saying that they had never officially fired him.

Kenzel took to X to share his side of the story, writing, "BK wanted to be there for me…Unfortunately the new leadership at LSU did not see it the same way" with a prayer-hands emoji and an awkward #freeBK hashtag, which might only resonate with Kelly's family and close friends.

Kenzel's actions perfectly encapsulate LSU's 2025 season — a lot of bluster with no real pay off. To be fair, as his son, it is only natural that he'd want his dad there, despite what is happening behind the scenes.

Oh yeah, LSU won the game 13-10 against the juggernaut Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.

Brian Kelly, Lane Kiffin
LSU head coach Brian Kelly and Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin shake hands after a college football game between Ole Miss and LSU at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. Ole Miss defeated LSU 24-19. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Speaking of Landry, Lane's daughter, not the governor, she was there to support Weeks, who is probably in the most awkward situation of all as the school aggressively pursues Landry's dad, with the latest reports putting the offer at $90 million. Speaking of entertaining, we've written plenty about Landry and her Kiffin family.

Now about that buyout:)

Brian Kell
Oct. 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Louisiana State Tigers head coach Brian Kelly during the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Tiger Stadium. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

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Matthew Graham
MATTHEW GRAHAM

Matthew Graham has over 20 years of media experience and oversees The Athlete Lifestyle On SI. He has had previous leadership roles at NBC Sports, Yahoo, and USA TODAY, where he co-founded For The Win (named Best Mobile Site by Digiday). He has also written for ESPN, Cosmopolitan, US Weekly, People, E! Online, and FHM, covering major sports and entertainment events like the Oscars, the Golden Globes, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, and winning the Yahoo Superstar Award for coverage of the Olympics.