Raiders Hire Chip Kelly as Offensive Coordinator

Chip Kelly has been appointed as the offensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders, a significant move that brings his extensive coaching experience to the forefront of the NFL. With an impressive 34 years of coaching under his belt, Kelly has spent 30 of those years at the collegiate level and has also held multiple head coaching positions in the NFL. His most recent role was as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Ohio State during the 2024 season, where he played a pivotal part in driving the Buckeyes to a remarkable 14-2 record and clinching a National Championship in the inaugural year of the 12-team College Football Playoff. Under his guidance, Ohio State showcased an explosive offense, averaging 36.3 points per game across their four playoff victories, contributing significantly to his reputation as a dynamic offensive strategist.

Kelly's journey through the world of football includes four seasons as head coach at the University of Oregon, where he established a powerful offensive identity that catapulted the Ducks into national prominence from 2009 to 2012. Following his successful stint at Oregon, he transitioned to the NFL, first with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2013 to 2015, and then briefly with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. During his time in Philadelphia, Kelly's innovative offensive schemes yielded outstanding results; the Eagles ranked third in the league in points per game (26.9) and total offense (392.8 yards per game) over his three seasons. His teams were known for their high-octane offense, finishing fourth in rushing yards per game (131.3) and recording the second-most running plays of 10 yards or more (175), as well as the fourth-most passing plays of 25 yards or more (109).

In his single season with the 49ers, Kelly made immediate improvements evident in the team's performance. He transformed the 49ers from having the league's 21st-ranked rushing attack in 2015, with only 1,544 total rushing yards, to a formidable fourth-best rushing offense in 2016, which accumulated an impressive 2,019 yards on the ground. Running back Carlos Hyde thrived under Kelly’s system, rushing for 988 yards in just 13 games, averaging a noteworthy 76.0 yards per game.

This blend of collegiate success and professional experience positions Kelly uniquely as he takes on this new challenge with the Raiders. His track record for fostering both individual talent and cohesive team performance provides a strong foundation for the Raiders as they look to enhance their offensive capabilities in the coming seasons. It is widely expected that the Raiders will aggressively pursue a quarterback in this year's draft, and with that, it only makes sense for Las Vegas to go after an experienced coach to smooth the rookie's transition. On top of this, while not confirmed, I strongly suspect that partial team owner Tom Brady had some influence in this decision, as Brady understands the value of an experienced leader working with a young quarterback. Kelly fills that role in every facet of the imagination, and the sky is the limit for Las Vegas's potential with him calling plays.