By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Former LSU football coach Brian Kelly broke his silence since being fired by LSU last Oct. 26 during an interview on the “Dusty (Dvoracek) and Danny (KAnell) In The Morning” on Sirius XM Radio Friday morning.
When asked what he has been up to since leaving Baton Rouge and living in Naples, Florida, Kelly cracked, “Well, if you ask LSU, I was playing 350 rounds of golf all through the year and drinking in my office,” Kelly said on the show.
“The thing they didn’t know is I have a torn rotator cuff that I suffered in the Florida game on the sideline,” he said of a collision in the Tigers’ 20-10 win over the Gators on Sept. 13 at Tiger Stadium that was widely reported at the time.
“I got hit by an offensive and defensive lineman, and it tore my rotator cuff,” Kelly said. “So, I haven’t played much golf. I’ve been rehabbing, mostly.”
Among the stories circulated by those at LSU and close to LSU in the weeks and months after Kelly’s firing was one that described Kelly sipping wine in his coaches’ office at the LSU football facility, though that was never reported. Meanwhile, sources told Tiger Rag that Kelly played a lot of golf during football seasons, which has been reported.
Look who won his first big game since beating Nick Saban and Alabama in 2022! Brian Kelly gets last laugh as LSU surrenders and plans to pay him full $54 million buyout:https://t.co/8tOvUwXDPf
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 27, 2025
Kelly and his attorneys battled LSU and its lawyers over his $54 million buyout for several weeks after his firing. In the end, LSU admitted Kelly was fired without cause, which means he will continue to receive that buyout. LSU at first said Kelly could not receive the buyout because it was firing him with cause, and rumors of various, alleged questionable behavior by Kelly circulated as reasons for such cause. Several media members believed the LSU cause story and were convinced for weeks that Kelly would not receive his buyout.
But in the end, LSU apparently could not prove any rumors or allegations.
Former LSU athletic director Scott Woodward fired Kelly on Oct. 26 – the day after a 45-24 loss to Texas A&M that dropped the Tigers to 5-3 after a No. 3 ranking early in the season. Woodward was fired four days later. LSU finished the season at 7-6 under interim coach Frank Wilson.
Kelly’s offense suffered last season as he never had a healthy Garrett Nussmeier at quarterback. Hired in essence to win LSU another national championship, in the end, Kelly never reached the College Football Playoff in his four seasons as LSU coach. He finished 34-14 overall (19-10, SEC) with one SEC West title in 2022. When fired, he had six years remaining on a 10-year, $100 million contract, which resulted in the $54 million buyout.
LSU then hired Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin for $91 million over seven seasons.
Also in the interview, Dvoracek mentioned that LSU is paying $40 million for its new roster, which is not news. Tiger Rag has reported multiple times that the new roster would cost approximately $40 million since Kiffin finished collecting his 41-man NCAA Transfer Portal team last January. On3.com’s Pete Nakos also reported a $40 million price tag last month. Lonn Phillips Sullivan – @LSUOdyssey on Twitter – also reported $40 million.
LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry previously confirmed to Tiger Rag that the cost of LSU’s roster would be approximately the same as that of Texas’ roster, which has been reported to be approximately $40 million.
“Maybe a little more,” Kelly said when Dvoracek said $40 million.
Asked to elaborate, Kelly said. ”More than 40, I’ll tell you that.”
Speaking in general terms about the state of college football with the portal and Name, Image & Likeness, Kelly said, “The revenue is ridiculous. I don’t even know how LSU is doing it. They’re paying Lane Kiffin whatever ($91 million over seven years), they’re paying me ($54 million). That’s crazy. That shouldn’t happen. But it is because it’s out there. The problems are real but college football is still in a pretty good place.”
The cost of Kelly’s last roster at LSU in 2025, which included an 18-man, No. 1-ranked transfer portal class, was approximately $20 million.
Kelly also discussed a possible return to coaching. While his name was mentioned for some openings, such as Penn State and Michigan, he did not get a job.
“I don’t know that I’ve made the decision that I want to get back in,” he said. “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.”
Kelly, a former Notre Dame head coach who was the winningest active coach in college football before his LSU firing at 297-109-2, plans on making the rounds during spring football drills.
“My first order of business is this next two, three weeks, I’m going to be visiting some places to see spring ball,” he said., “Get a chance to see some things relative to the football side, the operational side, some of the things we talked about today with NIL, transfer and calendar, and get a temperature in the spring for some things.”
Kelly plans on visiting various teams and his former assistant coaches during the fall as well. Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea and Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko were each assistants under Kelly at Notre Dame. Kelly’s last two losses as LSU’s coach were to Lea and Elko.
“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,” he said. “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.”
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