Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day has given his thoughts about the departure of his former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Chip Kelly. On Feb. 2, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Pete Thamel broke the news on X that Kelly would be returning to the NFL as the offensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders.
What Did Ryan Day Say About Chip Kelly?
Day was appearing on “The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast” alongside Klatt when the news broke.
Day detailed his appreciation for everything Kelly contributed to this past season, a year that culminated in a College Football Playoff National Championship, as well as how he hopes the two can look back in the future on how special a time it was.
Klatt reposted the clip on the social media platform X and provided some commentary.
Ryan Day reacts to the news of longtime coach and mentor Chip Kelly leaving @OhioStateFB after winning a National Championship together.
More with @joelklatt on Kelly's departure and what reaching that mountaintop meant to Ryan Day ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/uoWNdGdj6Q
— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) February 3, 2025
“We talked about it, the fact that we had a really good group here. And the dream would be to win a national championship. And then he decides whether he wants to stay or have an opportunity to go to the NFL, and that’s exactly what happened. And just, to be able to have a beer in a few years and talk about the year that we had together is gonna be special because we all started together,” Day explained.
What Is Kelly Walking Into in Las Vegas?
The Raiders are currently in the midst of a rebuild, however, they appear to only be a few pieces away from being an interesting offensive team. The franchise drafted superstar tight end Brock Bowers in 2024, and he went on to have a phenomenal rookie campaign. He quickly cemented himself as a long-term building block for the offense.
Furthermore, the offense is expected to take a quarterback in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. Though their No. 6 overall position may limit their choices, there is always the chance that the club trades up to ensure they get the QB they want. Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are the two names being discussed at the top of the draft and both could drastically improve the Raiders’ offensive unit if drafted by the franchise.
By PFN’s Offense+ metric, Las Vegas finished the season with the league’s 29th-best offense. Both Kelly and a potential upgrade under center stand to improve that ranking.
With Pete Carroll, Tom Brady, and now Kelly running the ship in Vegas, it appears as though the franchise is set to improve dramatically from their dismal 4-13 record from this past campaign.