Years before he was dramatically fired as head football coach at Louisiana State University, Brian Kelly was dealing with a soap opera in his personal life.
In February 2023, Kelly, 64, filed for divorce from his wife of 28 years, Francisca Craig Kelly (who goes by Paqui), according to court documents obtained by WBRZ News.
The divorce petition stated that Brian and Paqui would “physically separate” on February 9, 2023, three days after the filing.
Brian also requested an immediate temporary restraining order against his wife to protect his assets. The head coach signed a 10-year, $95 million contract with LSU in 2021.
At the time, there was speculation that the divorce documents were for another Louisiana man named Brian Kelly, but WBRZ posted the full divorce filing on their website, listing both Brian and Paqui.
According to the documents, Brian and Paqui did not enter into a “covenant marriage,” described as a marriage in which both parties agree it will last for the rest of their lives.
However, just days after the divorce filing, all three of the couple’s children — daughter Grace and sons Patrick and Kenzel — said things were just fine in their parents’ relationship.
Patrick shared a photo of Brian and Paqui with their arms around each other via X on February 9, the date listed as his parents’ separation date on the divorce filing.
“😆😆fake news,” Patrick wrote.
The next day, Grace also downplayed the demise of her parents’ marriage.
Grace posted a separate photo of her parents smiling together at a table via X on February 10.
“Things look fine to me 🤔 ,” Grace wrote from her since-deleted account, but captured by the New York Post.
When LSU football reporter Preston Guy wrote that “two of Brian Kelly’s children are now publicly disputing the divorce report from WBRZ,” Kenzel also got himself involved.
Kenzel quote tweeted Guy’s post and wrote: “Three***.”
According to WBRZ, Brian and Paqui reconciled after the initial divorce filing and Brian had the case withdrawn from the courts.
Two months later, Brian took to social media with a Mother’s Day message for his wife.
“Happy Mother’s Day to my wife, Paqui, and all the amazing LSU moms. Have a wonderful day!,” Brian wrote via Instagram alongside a photo of the couple hugging on the sidelines of LSU’s Tiger Stadium.
Brian was fired by LSU on Sunday, October 26, with the university’s athletic director Scott Woodward saying, “The success at the level that LSU demands simply did not materialize, and I made the decision to make a change after last night’s game.”
LSU lost at home 49-25 to Texas A&M on Saturday, October 25, the final nail in Brian’s coffin. He was hired as head football coach at the school in November 2021 and finished with a 34-14 overall record across his four seasons.
“We wish Coach Kelly and his family the very best in their future endeavors,” Woodward added. “We will continue to negotiate his separation and will work toward a path that is better for both parties.”
Brian is owed more than $54 million as part of his contract buyout, the terms of which are still being negotiated.
The LSU football team was made aware of Brian’s firing during a team meeting on Sunday, just minutes before the university announced the news publicly.
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