The Las Vegas Raiders hired Chip Kelly as the team’s offensive coordinator on Feb. 2. He joins Pete Carroll as the AFC West team continues to build an experienced coaching staff to compete in a stacked conference.
Kelly played a big role in Ohio State’s College Football Playoff National Championship-winning campaign and impressed everyone with how he ran their offense. A return to the NFL was always likely for him, and apart from the Raiders, the Houston Texans were also interested in him becoming their offensive coordinator.
Raiders Hiring Chip Kelly Draws Mixed Reactions From Fans
Kelly’s success at Ohio State is a big reason the Raiders hired him, but fans have reservations about him due to how his tenure as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles played out.
He has been heavily criticized by legendary Eagles players like LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson for breaking their team. As a result, there were mixed reactions from fans to the Raiders’ decision to hire Kelly. Here’s how some of the fans on X (formerly known as Twitter) reacted to Las Vegas’ decision:
Ran to the NFL bc he can’t beat @UMichFootball https://t.co/i5v3Bbe7zb
— Fraley’s Comet☄️ (@bryan_fraley) February 2, 2025
“Raiders are cooked,” said an account on X.
Another fan added, “Players gonna hate him.”
Will Howard to Las Vegas in the 1st round confirmed 😌 pic.twitter.com/cmeKTUohlW
— Buckeye Irrationalist (@BuckeyeRational) February 2, 2025
“Pete and Chip, this is a pac-12 reunion,” wrote one fan.
“Let’s hope he learned some things. Players had zero respect for him in Philly,” said one fan about Kelly.
He’s assembling a super team pic.twitter.com/rFzMkQ7KO4
— CANT GUARD ANA 🏈 (@FootballGirlAna) February 2, 2025
Kelly went 26-21 as the Eagles’ head coach with only one playoff appearance in four seasons. His methods drew outrage from the fans and the players, but the Raiders’ fans can hope that he would have learned from his mistakes.
Kelly served as the head coach of UCLA for six seasons before becoming the offensive coordinator of Ohio State. He brought the best out of players like Jeremiah Smith, Will Howard, TreVeyon Henderson, and Quinshon Judkins. The Raiders do not have as great of a roster as Ohio State, relative to competition, but Carroll and Kelly will aim to improve it through the draft and the development of the players.
The Raiders finished last season with a record of 4-13, and their offense averaged just 18.2 points per game. Kelly has a big challenge ahead of him, and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to work his magic again in the NFL.
Could Any Ohio State Players Be on Their Way to Las Vegas?
Ohio State defeated Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame on its way to the CFP National Championship. Their offense averaged 37.2 points per game this past season, and Kelly earned his opportunity to coach in the NFL.
Since many of the Buckeyes’ offensive players are in the upcoming NFL Draft class, we could see some of them reuniting with their former OC in Las Vegas. The Raiders have these draft picks in the 2025 NFL Draft:
- Round 1: sixth
- Round 2: 37th
- Round 3: 68th
- Round 3: 73rd
- Round 4: 107th
- Round 5: 144th
- Round 6: 182nd
- Round 6: 214th
- Round 6: 218th
- Round 7: 224th
Las Vegas needs a new quarterback, but they seem unlikely to draft one in the first round unless Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward is still available. They could make a move for Howard with one of their picks in the third round.
The Raiders also need a running back, so a potential move for Judkins or Henderson could be in the cards. Kelly already has a generational player in the making in Brock Bowers on the team, and the team needs to surround him with better players.
The new Raiders OC already has had immense success with the Ohio State players, so, it wouldn’t be surprising if he convinces the franchise to make a move for some players who are not highly regarded in the draft. He can bring the best out of them, and the Raiders could potentially be set up for success for years to come.
