Brian Kelly Claims Ongoing Battle With LSU Regarding Buyout Has Prevented Him From Finding Job

The ongoing drama between LSU and former head coach Brian Kelly has turned into an expensive case of who will seemingly flinch first. All the while, LSU is trying to land Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin during a chaotic coaching carousel. 

Just when you thought this whole ordeal between Kelly and the school was going to end with a buyout that would meet the expectations of a contract signed, LSU allegedly made threats to fire him 'with cause;. 

One of the most intriguing parts in the Brian Kelly firing came nearly a month after he was let go, when the school allegedly tried to act as if his firing would be ‘for cause’. This would have allowed LSU to avoid the $54 million buyout, unless it was negotiated down to a reasonable amount in the eyes of school administrators. 

Brian Kelly Files Lawsuit Against LSU, Says School Now Trying To Void $54 Million Buyout By Firing For 'Cause'

Remember, LSU offered two separate settlement offers to Kelly when he was technically ‘let go’ by former athletic director Scott Woodward. In a plot twist, according to a lawsuit filed by Brian Kelly, the school claimed that Woodward did not have the power to fire the former coach. 

According to the lawsuit obtained by OutKick, attorneys for Brian Kelly are seeking a judge to issue a declaratory judgment stating that the former LSU coach was not fired with cause, which would force the school to pay him the entire $54 million buyout. 

Lane Kiffin Says It's 'Very Important' To Coach Remainder Of Season At Ole Miss. We'll See About That

LSU Knew The Lawsuit From Brian Kelly Would Continue

Now, five days after the LSU Board of Supervisors formally voted to give President Wade Roussee permission to finally terminate Brian Kelly, a letter from the attorney representing the former head coach has been released by ESPN from November 18. 

"As you know, there is absolutely no basis to LSU's contrived positions that Coach Kelly was not terminated or that cause existed for such termination," the letter obtained by ESPN says.. "LSU's conduct, including its failure to confirm that Coach Kelly was terminated without cause and its unsupported allegations of misconduct on the part of Coach Kelly, has made it nearly impossible for Coach Kelly to secure other football-related employment."

Also, attorneys for Brian Kelly say LSU has ‘made it nearly impossible’ for the former coach to find another job while this whole ordeal has been ongoing. 

Welcome to the interesting part, folks. LSU Board of Supervisors member John H. Carmouche received a letter from the attorneys of Brian Kelly asking for clarification on his firing status. In that letter, attorneys noted that Carmouche had asked Brian Kelly to withdraw his lawsuit, but that a decision from the board would not come until after the meeting last Friday. 

Essentially, this was LSU dangling a carrot in front of Brian Kelly, in hopes that he would withdraw the lawsuit. You couldn’t make this stuff up if you tried. 

In a separate letter on No. 19, attorneys for Kelly noted that they would not withdraw the lawsuit until the school made iot clear that the former coach was fired ‘without cause’, which would lead to him receiving his full buyout. 

Just Pay Brian Kelly His Money, Then Go Fire Another Coach

Why does it sound as if LSU is trying to weasle their way out of the buyout, but then realized that Brian Kelly wasn’t messing around when he filed the lawsuit, so they had a meeting to finally give President Roussee permission to fire him?

This whole ordeal is ridiculous. LSU fired Brian Kelly, then acted as if it didn’t happen because Scott Woodward did not have the power to do it, only to then act as if they were firing him for cause, but have now made the choice to ‘officially’ fire the former coach nearly one month later. 

Good luck to whomever takes the LSU job over the next week. 

Make sure you get an ironclad contract so you don't have to deal with this nonsense if they send you packing.