When LSU football swayed Brian Kelly to leave Notre Dame for Baton Rouge, they had to offer him a contract he couldn't refuse.
Kelly has been successful at every stop, from Grand Valley State in Division II to Central Michiga to Cincinnati to Notre Dame.
LSU was looking for a coach to replace Ed Orgeron with the capability of leading the Tigers to a national title despite stiff competition in the SEC. They determined Kelly would be worth the very high cost.
But how much is Kelly actually making?
Brian Kelly salary: LSU head coach has $95 million guaranteed
The thing about Kelly's contract is it's complicated. According to Steve Berkowitz of USA Today, his base salary is only $400,000. However, that's only the start of things.
Suplemental pay will have Kelly making $8.8 million in 2023 and $9.6 million by 2031 with regular increases every two years.
On top of that, Kelly can increase his pay via incentives and bonuses. He gets $500,000 every time LSU is bowl-eligible. He will receive a $500,000 bonus every July 1 that he remains in the job. His supplemental pay will increase by $250,000 per year the first time he wins the SEC Championship. If he leads LSU to a national title, his pay will increase by $500,000 per year.
The only head coach in college football at a public school making more than Kelly is Nick Saban, who makes close to $10 million.
The big thing about Kelly's contract is that it's mostly guaranteed. Unless he is fired for cause, LSU will owe him at least $95 million over the life of the contract.
A 10-4 showing in Year 1, including a trip to the SEC Championship Game, was encouraging. However, the goal is obviously a national championship, which eluded Kelly at Notre Dame. That's what will determine whether the Tigers judge this deal as worth it or not in the end.
