Several days after his firing as LSU’s head football coach, Brian Kelly released a statement, admitting that he fell short of expectations while at the school.
Kelly saw his tenure with the Tigers end after going 5-3 this season and an embarrassing 49-25 loss to Texas A&M in front of the LSU faithful. In fact, many in the stands were chanting “Fire Kelly!” during the game. Well, the LSU fans got their wish just hours later.
What Did Brian Kelly Say About LSU Firing?
In his statement, which he posted on X to his own account, Kelly admitted that from the get-go, he was going to be “all-in” for LSU.
“Moving to Baton Rouge four years ago, my family and I were clear,” Kelly wrote. “There would be no halfway. We would be all-in for LSU and for Louisiana.
“This journey began with great expectations with my own vision of how to get there,” he wrote. “Sometimes the journey does not end the way we hope. But when I think of our time together, I will remember and appreciate what we did accomplish. All of the exceptional student-athletes that I had the privilege to coach.
— Brian Kelly (@CoachBrianKelly) November 6, 2025
“A Heisman Trophy winner and more than a dozen Tigers playing on Sundays,” Kelly wrote. “39 players earning SEC Academic Honor Roll honors in 2024 alone. My daughter and son earning advanced degrees from LSU, and a third who began his career working at the University.”
Kelly added that the losses “will always hurt, but I will remember all of the wins.”
In his closing remarks, Kelly wished LSU interim head coach Frank Wilson and his staff all the best. When Kelly left Notre Dame to come to LSU, he wanted to win a national championship. That was one of the primary reasons Kelly left the Fighting Irish to join an SEC school.
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As it happened, though, Kelly never got LSU into the College Football Playoff, the only Tigers head coach this millennium to fail to bring a national title to Baton Rouge. Kelly’s tenure at LSU ended on a bad note, one that he probably wished hadn’t happened. Where will Kelly land next? That’s not known at this time.
But Kelly’s statement on Thursday might have been an act for him to personally close the book on his time in Baton Rouge. Interim head coach Wilson must focus on where the Tigers are right now and whether starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier will remain in that role going forward.
Kelly’s next adventure in college football coaching might just be around the corner.
