Las Vegas Raiders slipped to another defeat on Sunday night and acted quickly after the game
Chip Kelly was fired from his role as offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday nightopen image in gallery
Chip Kelly was fired from his role as offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday night (AP)
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Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has been sacked, the club announced on Sunday night, following yet another dismal offensive display.
The decision came less than four hours after the Raiders suffered a 24-10 defeat at the hands of Cleveland, a game in which Las Vegas allowed the Browns to sack Geno Smith 10 times, dropping their season record to 2-9.
Coach Pete Carroll confirmed the dismissal in a statement, saying: "I spoke with Chip Kelly earlier this evening and informed him of his release as offensive coordinator of the Raiders. I would like to thank Chip for his service and wish him all the best in the future."
Carroll did not immediately name a successor.
This marks the second time this month that Carroll, in his first year coaching the Raiders after 14 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, has fired a coordinator; special teams coordinator Tom McMahon was let go on 7 November.
Pete Carroll fired his second coordinator this monthopen image in gallery
Pete Carroll fired his second coordinator this month (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Kelly’s appointment was a high-profile move, with reports suggesting a $6 million contract – the highest for an NFL offensive coordinator – which lured him from Ohio State, where he had helped the Buckeyes secure a national championship as offensive coordinator last season.
However, Kelly’s tenure in Las Vegas failed to live up to the considerable hype or the lucrative contract.
The Raiders’ offensive statistics paint a stark picture of their struggles. Through Sunday’s games, Las Vegas was tied for last in the NFL with an average of 15 points per game.
They ranked second worst with 3.54 yards per rush and 3.7 sacks allowed per game, third worst with 4.59 yards per play, and fifth worst with an 82.3 passer rating.
The offence also regressed significantly as the season progressed, scoring 16 points or fewer in four of their last five games, and 10 points or fewer in three of those.
Quarterback Smith has thrown 13 interceptions, tying him with Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa for the most in the league.
Ashton Jeanty, drafted sixth overall with the hope of revitalising the NFL’s worst rushing game, has managed just 604 yards, averaging 3.6 per carry.
While much of the blame has fallen on Kelly, some of these issues can be attributed to the offensive line, which has struggled even when healthy and is currently missing injured starters Kolton Miller and Jackson Powers-Johnson.
Las Vegas Raiders were beaten by Cleveland Browns on Sundayopen image in gallery
Las Vegas Raiders were beaten by Cleveland Browns on Sunday (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Raiders did not prioritise strengthening the line in the offseason, and their two third-round draft picks, Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant, have largely remained on the sidelines.
Similarly, rookie receivers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have not filled the void left by Jakobi Meyers’ trade to Jacksonville.
The extent of Kelly’s culpability remains a point of debate, but evidence that his coaching elevated the offence is scarce.
Both Kelly and Carroll faced scrutiny over their game plan in a 33-16 loss to Dallas, where the Raiders called 32 pass plays to just three runs in the first half.
The growing frustration among fans was palpable, with boos directed at the offence during the game against the Browns, a contest that saw Las Vegas punt eight times, turn the ball over on downs twice, and lose a fumble.
Kelly boasts an extensive coaching career, including a 46-7 record in four seasons as head coach at Oregon, four years as an NFL head coach with Philadelphia and San Francisco, and a stint as UCLA’s coach from 2018-23 before his year at Ohio State.