
After winning a national championship with the Ohio State Buckeyes, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly was in high demand by multiple NFL teams. While he seemingly had an opportunity to become the play-caller for one of several teams with a franchise-caliber quarterback, he chose the Las Vegas Raiders and now we know why.
Kelly, 61 years old, resigned as the UCLA Bruins head coach following the 2023 season to serve as the Buckeyes’ offensive play-caller. The move allowed him to focus purely on coaching, with obligations for working the transfer portal and NIL handled by the rest of the coaching staff. Now he can focus even more on running an offense with his return to the NFL.
Related:Â 2025 NFL Draft order, Las Vegas Raiders draft picks 2025
- Ohio State Buckeyes offense with Chip Kelly (2024):Â 35.7 PPG (9th), 6.8 yards per play (4th), 43.55% third-down conversion rate (29th), 3.9 red-zone scoring drives per game (34th)
It marks his first return to the pro side since being fired as the San Francisco 49ers head coach following the 2016 season. Before that, he orchestrated fairly successful offenses with the Philadelphia Eagles, but his leadership style and poor roster management resulted in his downfall. He won’t be tasked with either of those in Las Vegas and his salary will make the job even better.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Kelly will make $6 million as the Raiders offensive coordinator this season. It immediately makes him the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL, which would’ve ranked 15th among NFL head coaches last season.
Related:Â Grading NFL coaching hires 2025, including the Las Vegas Raider
- Chip Kelly salary: $6 million
He’ll be inheriting a challenging situation. While tight end Brock Bowers is coming off one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history, he and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers are the only two dependable weapons on the Raiders offense. Las Vegas also doesn’t have a starting-caliber quarterback right now and its offensive line needs work.
The decision to become the Raiders offensive coordinator certainly seems financially driven, but no one will blame Kelly for signing a contract that guarantees a salary that will give him more money than some NFL head coaches make.