Just over two weeks ago, Chip Kelly was on the sidelines in Atlanta, helping Ohio State capture a College Football Playoff national championship. The Buckeyes dominated Notre Dame, scoring 34 points en route to an 11-point victory. Fast forward to today, and Kelly has made a dramatic leap back into the NFL, joining Pete Carroll’s staff as the offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Kelly, who was officially introduced Wednesday, expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity.
“This is one of the most legendary franchises in football, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be here,” he said.
His transition back to the NFL happened quickly. After Ohio State’s championship win, Kelly began considering his next move, and when this opportunity presented itself, it was too good to pass up.
“I’ve always said I’d only go somewhere that felt completely aligned from ownership to personnel to coaching staff. After meeting with Pete, I knew this was the right fit,” Kelly explained.
With 34 years of coaching experience under his belt—including four seasons as an NFL head coach with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers—Kelly brings a wealth of knowledge to the Raiders. In Philadelphia, he turned a struggling 4-12 team into a 10-win contender in each of his first two seasons. Under his leadership, the Eagles’ offense ranked third in the league, averaging 26.9 points and 392.8 yards per game. They also set franchise records for points scored in both 2013 and 2014.
Following a strong debut season as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, Kelly is eager to test himself again at the highest level.
“This is the pinnacle of football, and the competition is second to none,” he said. “Every week is a battle, and so many games are decided by just one play. That intensity and challenge is what drives me.”
One of the biggest draws of this new role was the chance to work with a former coaching rival. Kelly and Carroll clashed three times in college—twice when Kelly was Oregon’s offensive coordinator and once in 2009 when both were head coaches. Kelly won two of those matchups, including a commanding 47-20 victory over Carroll’s USC squad in 2009. Carroll, however, got his revenge in the NFL, winning three straight against Kelly’s Eagles and 49ers.
“When Pete reached out, I jumped at the chance to meet with him,” Kelly said. “I’ve got tremendous respect for him. We first faced off in the Pac-10, then he went to Seattle and built something incredible for 14 years. He’s won championships at every level, and when you get an opportunity to work with a coach like that, you don’t pass it up.”
Kelly is well aware of the challenge ahead. The AFC West is one of the toughest divisions in the league, with both the Broncos and Chargers making the playoffs, and the Chiefs appearing in their fifth Super Bowl in six years.
“Some people asked me, ‘Do you really want to step into that division?’ And my answer is absolutely,” Kelly said. “If you’re a competitor, you want to go against the best. If you can win in the AFC West, you know you’ve beaten the top teams in the league.”
As he embarks on this new chapter with the Silver and Black, Kelly’s first priority is assembling his coaching staff. From there, he’ll work on evaluating the roster and crafting an offense tailored to his players’ strengths.
“You have to look at your options—whether through the draft, free agency, or your current roster—and then build your system around what your quarterback does best,” Kelly explained.
It’s a strategy that worked for him in Philadelphia with Nick Foles and Michael Vick, and now, he hopes to replicate that success in Las Vegas.
“Our job as coaches is to execute the vision Mark Davis has for this franchise,” Kelly said. “And with Pete, John Spytek, Tom Brady, and the rest of this organization coming together, we’ve got something special brewing.”
With a fresh start in Las Vegas and a chance to reshape the Raiders’ offense, Kelly’s enthusiasm is undeniable.
“I’m fired up to be here. This is an incredible opportunity, and I can’t wait to get to work.”
