NFL Trade Rumors: Las Vegas Raiders Officially Name Chip Kelly Next Offensive Coordinator

Pete Carroll is bringing an old rival into the fold. The Las Vegas Raiders named former Oregon Ducks and Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly as their new offensive coordinator on Tuesday.

Stackin’ Chips

Coach Kelly, welcome to the Silver and Black 🏴‍☠️

📰 https://t.co/itMK3tmmdg pic.twitter.com/Q3SNSbKoEE
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) February 4, 2025

Kelly initially made his name as Oregon's head coach from 2009 to 2012, where he regularly duelled in the Pac-10 with Carroll's USC Trojans. Kelly's revolutionary, warp-speed offenses eventually landed him the top job with the Eagles, where he accumulated a respectable 26-21 record before being fired late in the 2015 season. He spent one disastrous 2-14 season with the San Francisco 49ers, then retreated back to the college ranks.

Kelly toiled in obscurity as the head coach of the UCLA Bruins from 2018 to 2023, amassing a forgettable 35-34 record, before accepting a job as Ohio State's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2024. The Buckeyes wrapped up Kelly's first and only season with the team with a dramatic win over Texas in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Kelly's return to the NFL is swift and has the potential to be quite the dramatic comeback. His first run wasn't completely without merit: His Eagles scored an impressive 28.6 points per game through his first two seasons, even with quarterbacks Nick Foles, Mark Sanchez, and Mike Vick all starting games.

With Carroll and Kelly now in place, the Raiders suddenly find themselves with an All-Star coaching staff. Still, the duo have a long road ahead of them. The Raiders don't yet have a franchise quarterback prospect in place, and they finished with a miserable -125 point differential in 2024. They have one of the least promising squads in the league.

With their success at the college level, Carroll and Kelly have both shown they can develop young talent. Ultimately, they need to prove they can coach up veterans, too. If the Raiders are going to win their first playoff game in over 20 years, they'll need to completely rebuild their roster. They better hope Carroll and Kelly are the men to do it.