Has there ever been a better example of the grass isn't always greener on the other side? When Brian Kelly was still leading the Notre Dame football team, he had it made in the shade. People in South Bend loved him and he was 113-40 during his time with the program.
He was able to get Notre Dame back on the map, which was awesome. However, he bolted on the Irish to take the job at LSU, claiming he wanted to go to a place where the resources were available for him to compete for a national championship.
Brian Kelly warning signs were there the minute he left Notre Dame
It was a slap in the face then and it's still a slap in the face now. However, Marcus Freeman has taken over as head coach and ironically enough, he powered Notre Dame to the title game last year and barring a late surprise, Notre Dame will be back in the College Football Playoff this season. Kelly on the other hand has been fired by LSU and he's now out of a job. Funny how that worked out, Brian.
Marcus Freeman concluded his Monday news conference with this statement:
— Kyle Kelly (@ByKyleKelly) October 27, 2025
“It’s a reminder of the gratitude I have for this opportunity, at this place, with the people I get to work with, the players I get to be involved with, man, I’m grateful.”https://t.co/HBDwEzBmvr pic.twitter.com/1wHJjHZhlZ
Brian Kelly's firing reminds Notre Dame fans how lucky they are to have Marcus Freeman
Freeman was of course asked about Kelly being let go and he was the textbook definition of classy with his response. At the same time, the Notre Dame leader didn't hesitate in saying that the news served as a reminder of how blessed he is to be with the Irish.
This is something that Freeman doesn't take for granted and while rumors are flying that he could make the jump to LSU or Penn State, something tells us he's going to stay in town for the long haul and have Notre Dame in a position to keep battling for championships.
This is something Kelly could have had too, but he got greedy. LSU and the SEC were attractive for him, but the decision to leave Notre Dame backfired in the worst way possible. Yes, he won games in Baton Rouge and had LSU crushing it out on the recruiting trail.
However, when your team is inconsistent and you're seen throwing coaches and players under the bus, the LSU faithful won't put up with it. Kelly now has former LSU players ripping him to shreds following his firing, which is pretty telling. He wasn't a 'players' coach' and that's not the case with Freeman. Notre Dame fans should be thanking their lucky stars he is in South Bend. Kelly leaving proved to be a blessing in disguise, but a terrible move for his career.