Twice-fired former NFL head coaches rarely get a third opportunity. Chip Kelly might buck that trend. Years after being canned by the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers, the 61-year-old appears to be positioning himself for another shot.
Kelly’s movements have been eyebrow-raising. In February 2024, he shockingly resigned as UCLA head coach to take over as offensive coordinator at Ohio State. Most coaches would not willingly quit a major conference program to be an assistant elsewhere. Kelly’s decision was vindicated when he helped the Buckeyes win the national championship. He could have stayed put. Instead, he took us by surprise again by returning to the NFL as the Las Vegas Raiders’ OC.
Three different jobs over three seasons. Such rapid job jumping suggests that Kelly is entertaining the idea of being an NFL head coach again. It won’t be easy for a guy with a 28-35 record in the pros and one playoff appearance in four seasons. Still, all it takes is to convince one owner. If the Raiders are improved this year in the highly competitive AFC West, Kelly will probably be a candidate. Plus, Kelly’s new boss is a prime example of someone who got a third chance as an NFL coach.
#RaiderNation https://t.co/1TYMdHN99D
— Vegas Entertainment Today (@VegasEntTD) February 5, 2025
Las Vegas coach Pete Carroll knows how Kelly feels. Carroll was fired from the New York Jets and the New England Patriots. He reinvented himself in the college game, winning a pair of national championships at USC before returning to the NFL. He went to two Super Bowls with the Seattle Seahawks, winning once. Call Carroll an outlier, but at least Kelly doesn’t have to look far for inspiration.
Kelly is in an intriguing situation. Expectations for the Raiders are low. They are expected to finish last in their division with a win total of 7.5. At Ohio State, Kelly had six NFL draft picks for the nation’s 14th-highest-scoring offense (35.7 points per game). In his first season with the Eagles, Kelly had five starters who were Pro Bowlers for the league’s fourth-highest-scoring offense (27.6).
The Raiders, on paper, don’t appear to have that kind of talent. They added veterans in journeyman quarterback Geno Smith, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who the offensively-challenged New England Patriots let walk as a free agent, and 33-year-old running back Raheem Mostert. Their best skill players are second-year tight end Brock Bowers and rookie running back Ashton Jeanty. Bowers and Jeanty are promising foundational pieces, but Kelly will need to stretch his football acumen to build an above-average offense.
#Raiders OC Chip Kelly clears the air on the Ashton Jeanty stance change
Said their RB coach Deland McCullough handles stance, alignment, etc. so he talked to Jeanty about the stance change
On the stance change: “It literally is about three inches so I don’t think it’s that… pic.twitter.com/Scc7kAvf2S
— Jesse Merrick (@JesseNews3LV) May 29, 2025
Much has changed since Kelly was the hottest coach in America. Over a decade ago, he mesmerized the football world with his high-speed, no-huddle offense. He had the respect of Bill Belichick, among others. When the Eagles hired him to replace Andy Reid, the belief was that he was going to revolutionize the game. Didn’t happen.
In the NFL, you can’t out-scheme everyone. Plus, the salary cap, draft, and free agency make it hard to stockpile talent. Kelly comes back to the league knowing this. His attitude is likely different, and his offense isn’t the same. Good coaches adapt. You’re likely to see a slower pace with more huddles. Kelly must also adjust to his personnel. Based on what we saw with Ohio State, a heavy dose of Jeanty is expected.
Kelly improved the Ohio State offense in one season. If the Raiders are vastly better, that might be enough for Kelly to get another opportunity as an NFL head coach.