Brian Kelly to Visit Notre Dame, Open to Assistant Role

Former Notre Dame and LSU head coach Brian Kelly, currently out of coaching, plans to visit the Notre Dame football program this fall and remains open to a return to the sidelines, potentially even in an assistant role. Kelly discussed his future and his relationship with his former program in a recent podcast appearance.

Kelly, 64, was fired by LSU in October 2025 after three and a half seasons. He left Notre Dame in December 2021, a move that drew criticism from many Fighting Irish fans. In the years since, Marcus Freeman, Kelly's former defensive coordinator, has taken over as head coach and compiled a 43-12 record, including a national championship game appearance.

Speaking on "The Independent: A Notre Dame Football Podcast," Kelly said he intends to visit Notre Dame during its preseason camp before the 2026-27 academic year. He emphasized the visit is meant as a show of support, not an evaluation.

"I want to support the program," Kelly said. "I want that out there. And I want to be visible for a day. I just want to show that I have 100 percent faith and confidence in what they're doing and how they're doing it. I want our fans to know, the Notre Dame fans, that I'm 100...