On Wednesday afternoon, Brian Kelly opened his press conference with a response to an interview on Good Morning America that aired earlier this week with former LSU player Greg Brooks Jr. and his father. In the interview, Brooks’ father alleges that Kelly had not been there for Greg and has shown little-to-no support for his son during this process.
Greg Brooks Jr. is recovering from a brain tumor surgery he underwent in September 2023 and Brooks Sr. said he has not heard from Kelly or his staff since then. They also filed a lawsuit last year against LSU and Our Lady of the Lake regional medical center for negligence, claiming that coaches and trainers mishandled the events leading up to his diagnosis.
Here is Kelly’s full statement on the situation and allegations that he was not present for Greg Brooks.
I would be remiss if I did not address Greg Brooks Jr. and the situation that unfolded in an interview on Good Morning America:
There’s many things I can’t say because it is pending litigation, obviously. But here’s what I can tell you. It is factually incorrect to state that I was not there by Greg’s side through this ordeal. I was there on multiple occasions. We had somebody from my staff that was there virtually every single day. We love Greg. We love him for the person that he is, for the competitor that he is and the battler that he is and can only wish him continued progress as he goes through an incredibly difficult time. But it was important for me to set the record clear as to my care, my love, for Greg Jr. during this very difficult time.
Again, I want to be clear that any player that is part of this program, I am going to be involved in making sure that they receive the best care, the best support, and I’m part of that. So, that was extremely important for me to talk about. You can question me as a football coach. You can question me in terms of the things that we do on the field. But off the field, as a parent, as a husband, as somebody that is actively involved in every community that I’ve been involved with, this is where the line is drawn with me. That comment struck a nerve with me. It hit my heart. Because that’s not why I’m in this business. I’ve been in it for players, will always be in it for our players.
It rattled me that somebody could possibly be so factually incorrect in stating that I was not part of Greg Brooks Jr.’s care and support. The support was the entire university, the entire community. I needed to make sure that record was clear.”
Kelly has talked publicly about his support for Greg Brooks Jr. in the past and now believes it is paramount that he responds to what was said in that interview. After talking about the program, he returned to talk about Brooks’ situation one more time before taking questions.
“It’s unfortunate we had to lead in the manner I did, but I thought it was absolutely crucial to address when my integrity and character is being attacked, I need to respond. If it was football related, that’s open for anyone, but when it comes to the care and the love for one of my former players, I needed to set the record straight.
