Brian Kelly plans to drop his lawsuit against LSU on Monday after the school agreed to pay him his full contractual buyout, according to Front Office Sports.
Kelly received written notice of termination this week and is preparing to withdraw his legal action after a dispute over how the school characterized his firing.
The lawsuit stemmed from Kelly’s claim that LSU argued it had not formally terminated him and attempted to introduce “for-cause” reasoning after the fact, according to the report.
LSU pivoted Wednesday, delivering formal written notice of termination without cause, putting the school fully on the hook for the buyout figure. At roughly $54 million, it is the second-largest coaching buyout in college football history behind Jimbo Fisher’s $76 million payout from Texas A&M.
LSU’s letter included a duty-to-mitigate provision requiring Kelly to pursue new employment in “good faith, reasonable and sustained efforts,” including documenting interviews and offers. The language reflects Kelly’s contractual “duty to mitigate,” ensuring he does not sit idle after dismissal.
Kelly was fired at LSU after four seasons with a 34-13 overall record and a 19-10 mark in SEC play. The Tigers reached the SEC title game in his first season but slumped since.
The school is still targeting Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin, who's reportedly a frontrunner to replace Kelly as LSU next head coach.
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