Social media reacts to LSU football firing Brian Kelly

LSU football fired head football coach Brian Kelly on Sunday. Discussions swarmed regarding the decision all day following the Saturday beatdown by Texas A&M in Tiger Stadium.

Kelly leaves in the midst of his fourth season in Baton Rouge. He led the Tigers to two 10-win seasons in his first two years. After a step back in 2024, Kelly’s staff retained key starters, including quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and linebacker Whit Weeks, while also bringing in the nation’s top transfer portal class.

2025 started strong with a road win over No. 4 Clemson. The Tigers added an SEC win over Florida, then fell to Ole Miss on the road. With its College Football Playoff hopes hanging in the balance, they lost to Vanderbilt and then the Aggies in back-to-back weeks. LSU never played meaningful postseason football under Kelly.

Associate head coach and running backs coach Frank Wilson was named the interim head coach for the remainder of the year. LSU has a bye week before traveling to No. 4 Alabama for Week 11.

How did social media react to LSU firing Kelly?

Some LSU fans were not shy about their feelings for Kelly. They noted his emphatic conduct on the sideline between his time in Baton Rouge and at Notre Dame.

Who will LSU hire to replace Kelly? Some Tiger fans made posts to social media displaying their hopes that the Tigers hire Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. LSU is the third SEC head coach job to open, following Florida and Arkansas.

Positives and negatives emerged regarding the decision to fire Kelly. He made critical hires in a changing college football landscape to address player personnel and NIL management but carried with him a hefty buyout of $53.3 million. Plenty of discussions regarding that number will continue as LSU navigates the post-Kelly era.

What does the future hold for Kelly and LSU? He could go in search of another coaching role as jobs continue to open up around the country. Stipulations in his buyout negotiations could factor into what’s ahead for him. Louisiana’s top 2026 recruit, Lamar Brown, currently committed to the Tigers, paid his respects to Kelly following the announcement.