When LSU hired Brian Kelly as the head coach after the 2021 season, they hoped to bring national glory back to the program. However, four years later, when those expectations weren’t met as the Tigers suffered their third lost of the season, they found it fitting to send Kelly packing with a $54 million buyout check.
With that, the Tigers will need a permanent replacement in the head coach position after the 2025 season. Robert Griffin III, who played for Baylor, before shining in the NFL, shed some light on the kind of the man LSU should be after for their head coach.
“When you talk about who they should bring in — you guys will not believe who hit my line telling me that they want the job at LSU. I believe for LSU to be successful, they have to have an identity, right?” Griffin said.
“In years past, we’ve called them Wide Receiver U when you talk about Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., Brian Thomas Jr. — the list goes on and on. But they had an identity. Could it be the running game, like it was with Leonard Fournette and others? Could it be the passing game? I don’t know. But I know whoever they bring in has to understand what it means to be an LSU Tiger.”
As he continued the conversation, Griffin revealed that someone hit him up to let him know that he wants Kelly’s job at LSU.
“Tyrann ‘Honey Badger’ Mathieu hit me up and let me know that he wants the head coaching job at LSU,” Griffin added. “And you can’t tell me any LSU Tiger wouldn’t want him to lead them back to prominence like they’re supposed to be.”
LSU just fired Head Coach Brian Kelly with a $54 Million buyout and you will not believe who just told me that he wants to be the next Head Coach of the LSU Tigers. pic.twitter.com/jXOylpZBGM
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 27, 2025
The former NFL star also mentioned that for Mathieu to be successful in Baton, he’ll need a potent coaching staff.
Mathieu played college football at LSU in 2010–2011. In 2011, he was a unanimous First-Team All-American, earned the Chuck Bednarik Award and was a Heisman Trophy finalist. He set a school-record 11 forced fumbles. He was dismissed from the program in August 2012 for “violation of team rules.”
Brian Kelly’s Buyout Becomes 2nd Highest Payout In College Football History
Several reports have now claimed that Brian Kelly is owed $53.8 million by the program following his abrupt dismissal. This lands him $23 million just short of the highest payout ever in college football history.
That feat belongs to Jimbo Fisher, who was fired in Nov. 2023, and was owed whopping $76.8 million. The third name on the list is another recent firing. James Franklin, who was fired two weeks ago this season by the Penn State Nittany Lions, comes third in this list with $53.8 million buyout.
It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Kelly; meanwhile, LSU will continue to try and salvage anything they can from an already doomed season.
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