Brian Kelly is reportedly moving to television. The former LSU head coach will call college football games for CBS this season, according to a report by Front Office Sports.
What We Know: Kelly is reportedly joining CBS Sports after LSU fired him midway through the 2025 season. He finished 34-14 at LSU, including 19-10 in SEC play, before the school agreed to pay his full $54 million buyout. Before LSU, Kelly coached at Central Michigan, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame, where he became the program’s all-time winningest coach with 113 victories. He appeared in CBS Sports Network’s NFL Draft studio coverage earlier this year.
What They Said: Brian Kelly on a desire to still be involved in college football (via USA TODAY April, 2026): “I still want to make a difference. All the young men that have been under my charge over 35 years, I feel like I have a lot still to give. Even with all this money in college football, they still need mentorship, still need development. Money aside, I have a lot to give. And my motivation is to want to get back to building relationships and successful programs in college football.”
What Remains Unclear: CBS has not officially confirmed the hire. It’s also unknown how long Kelly’s broadcast role will last, if he’ll chase another coaching opportunity.
What It Means: Kelly would bring instant credibility to CBS’s college football coverage. His resume speaks for itself, and his presence will draw attention. This will be CBS Sports’ first season without Gary Danielson. That means Charles Davis will be moving to the number one booth. A year of change is ahead for the network and Kelly could be just the latest addition.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
