Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly is recognized as a head coach in college football, having led programs at Grand Valley State University, Central Michigan University, the University of Cincinnati, and Notre Dame. Kelly guided Grand Valley State to consecutive NCAA Division II Football Championships and was named Division II National Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association in both championship seasons. At Central Michigan University, he coached the team to its first winning season in seven years and secured the Mid-American Conference Championship.

Before joining Notre Dame, Kelly served as head coach at the University of Cincinnati, where he led the Bearcats to two consecutive Big East Conference Championships and appearances in the FedEx Orange Bowl and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Under Kelly, Cincinnati achieved three straight double-digit win seasons, including a 12-0 regular season that culminated in a Sugar Bowl appearance.

Kelly's tenure at the University of Notre Dame included a 92-39 record, making him the winningest coach in the institution's history. His 2012 Notre Dame team reached the BCS National Championship Game, and teams in subsequent years made appearances in the College Football Playoff. Notre Dame recorded 10 or more wins in the final five seasons of Kelly's tenure, the longest such streak in the program's history. Kelly received recognition as Big East Coach of the Year three times, Home Depot Coach of the Year three times, and ACC Coach of the Year. Kelly later became head coach at LSU, where he led the Tigers to a 10-win season and the SEC Western Division title in his first year. His tenure at LSU included an SEC Championship game appearance and a 34-14 record.

Off the field, Kelly and his wife Paqui founded the Kelly Cares Foundation, which has donated over $5 million to organizations supporting health, education, and community needs. Kelly is an advocate for mental health awareness and works with organizations to address the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide. His coaching philosophy, centered on the "Next Man In" approach, emphasizes leadership, resilience, and teamwork in college football. In 2026, he made his sports broadcasting debut with CBS Sports.