Brian Kelly Says He'll Match Up to $1M in NIL Donations with Gift to LSU Foundation

LSU head coach Brian Kelly is willing to part with his own money if it means a boost to the school's NIL efforts.

Nick Schultz of On3 Sports reported that Kelly and his wife, Paqui, would match a donation of up to $1 million from fans towards the LSU NIL collective with a gift to the school's Tiger Athletic Foundation's AD's Excellence Fund.

This will occur through the "Kelly Family Million Dollar Match Fund" and fans will have between Dec. 13 to Feb. 5, 2025 to donate to the NIL collective.

Kelly spoke about the current efforts the school has toward NIL funding and that he is "committed" to doing everything he can to make the program a National Championship contender.

"LSU has a long and proud tradition of being one of the elite programs in college football," Kelly said, per Michael Bonnette of LSUSports.com. "In order to remain among the nation's elite in this new world of college athletics, we have to be competitive in all areas of our program. I am committed to doing all that we can to win championships at LSU.

Kelly's salary for 2024 was $9.9 million and he is in the third year of a 10-year contract. His potential donation would not decimate his bank account but still shows his desire to keep LSU at the top of the nation and help them contend for top recruits.

The Tigers went 8-4 in 2024 with a 5-3 record within the SEC. Kelly's overall record at the school is 28-11 and the program has been in the hunt for the College Football Playoff but have not qualified during his time with the program.

LSU also lost the recruiting battle for five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, who flipped his commitment to Michigan after the Wolverines made a substantial NIL offer that exceeded LSU's.

While Kelly's donation will not go into the NIL fund, his commitment to match the fans clearly shows his desire to remain a top option for recruits.