What Happened to Ducks Legend Chip Kelly in Las Vegas

One of the most iconic coaches in Oregon Ducks history, Chip Kelly was fired by the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

With only 10 months under his belt in Sin City, Kelly's tenure as the highest paid offensive coordinator in the NFL was fairly underwhelming and a less than satisfactory ending for one of college football's biggest innovators.

So, what went wrong for Kelly with the Raiders, and where can Kelly go now, with a mixed resume from his NCAA success to his woes in the pros?

Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Las Vegas Raiders' Lackluster Offense

So far this season, the 2-9 Raiders are tied for the second most interceptions in the league (13), bring the No. 30 out of 32 total offense in the NFL (above the No. 31 Cleveland Browns and No. 32 Tennessee Titans), and come in last for points scored per game (15), among several other concerning statistics.

Even after drafting running back Ashton Jeanty No. 6 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, the former Boise State stand-out only puts up 3.6 yards per average rushing attempt. With the end of week 12, Jeanty has 604 yards total.

As for quarterback Geno Smith, he's on the lower side of quarterback ratings this year (29.4), and he has taken the second most sacks in the league, in part because of an offensive line dealing with injuries to offensive linemen like left tackle Kolton Miller and right guard (and former Duck) Jackson Powers-Johnson.

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly before playing against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Injuries Killing the Raiders

That's the thing: Kelly's offense needed to shift to accommodate the injuries on the offensive line. Kelly's schemes are typically based on a rushing-first offense that creates formidable match-ups and commands ball control. It's difficult to control the ground game when the trenches have low depth.

Yes, there were times where Jeanty was used as a space receiver to find gaps for the passing offense and divert the workload away from the weak run game, but only one positive scheme does not amount to a cohesive offense.

Nov 23, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) looks to avoid the tackle attempt of Cleveland Browns defensive end Cameron Thomas (99) during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Kelly's Talents in College Ball

Kelly's talents in college football, specifically at Oregon (offensive coordinator and head coach, 2007-2012) and Ohio State (offensive coordinator, 2024), continues to follow the coach as a lasting legacy.

At Oregon, Kelly popularized the modern version the spread offense, which means utilizing several receivers and a limited (often one or none) running backs to spread the defense thin and deliver fast down the field.

The spread offense became adapted quickly by other college teams, and therefore defenses started countering with new formations like a 3-3-5 and the spread became more and more reinterpreted as time went on.

Kelly brought a similar style of offense to UCLA, before moving to Ohio State as the offensive coordinator, where he mixed the spread with coach Ryan Day's pro style system. His championship offense with the Buckeyes also thrived due to the sheer amount of talent the team possessed, including wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, and running backs Treveyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning greets UCLA head coach Chip Kelly before the Oregon Ducks take on the UCLA Bruins Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Chip Kelly's Next Steps

To be fair, with Kelly being 61 years old and his recent resume with the Raiders, there is a possibility Kelly might not continue coaching on a pro or college level, at least in the magnitude he previously has. Plus, the coach, not known as the best recruiter, might not want to keep up with the changing landscape of college football.

Kelly taking on a role as a coordinator or position like he previously did with the Buckeyes would feel like the most plausible move, or coaching at a smaller university. Moving forward, it would be interesting to see where this iconic former Oregon coach ends up.

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