The Las Vegas Raiders have plans on rebuilding the franchise and returning to real championship contention. That process has been underway with Pete Carroll taking over as head coach and John Spytek being named as the new general manager.
But just as important as the head coach is building out his staff as making sure the right coordinators are in place is imperative to the team’s overall success. And Carroll has brought in a big, and successful, name to run his offense.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Pete Thamel, the Raiders have agreed on a deal with former Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly to become their new offensive coordinator after helping Ohio State to a National Championship:
Chip Kelly is returning to the NFL to become the Las Vegas Raiders’ offensive coordinator under new head coach Pete Carroll, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Pete Thamel on Sunday.
Kelly, 61, spent the past seven years in college football, including last season as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for national champion Ohio State, which averaged 35.7 points in going 14-2, including a 34-23 defeat of Notre Dame for the national title.
And Kelly did not come cheap as Albert Breer of The Monday Morning Quarterback reports that the Raiders made Kelly the NFL’s highest-paid coordinator:
The @Raiders told candidates during their search they were making a serious commitment with an infusion of cash from the new owners. Here it is—Chip Kelly was lured to Vegas with a deal averaging $6 million per year, per sources.
Kelly is now the NFL’s highest-paid coordinator.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 3, 2025
There have been questions about Kelly as a head coach, but there is no denying his effectiveness as a coordinator and play caller. Kelly has some pieces to work with, namely an elite weapon at tight end in Brock Bowers, but there are still some holes to be filled on the roster, namely at quarterback.
The Raiders are slowly getting all the pieces in place throughout the entire organization and now have added an elite playcaller to the fold.
Raiders re-sign Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator
A new face is coming in to run the offense, but it’s a familiar name who will be running the Raiders defense under Pete Carroll as the team re-signed Patrick Graham to return in the same position.
Graham had been garnering interest from other teams and had been on multiple interviews, but ultimately his performance, despite many injuries up and down the Raiders’ defense, was enough for the franchise to keep him around going forward.
