Chip Kelly lands new job as Northwestern’s offensive coordinator after firing by Raiders

By Canadian Press on December 30, 2025.

Former Oregon and Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly was hired as Northwestern’s offensive coordinator on Tuesday.

The move comes on the heels of the Las Vegas Raiders firing Kelly as offensive coordinator late last month after just 11 games. But he has a history of overseeing explosive offenses, particularly at the college level.

Kelly led Oregon to a 46-7 record and a national championship game appearance from 2009 to 2012 before spending four years as an NFL head coach — three with Philadelphia and one with San Francisco. He returned to the college ranks as UCLA’s coach from 2018-23, leading the Bruins to a 35–34 record. He was offensive coordinator at Ohio State under Ryan Day last year, helping the Buckeyes win the national championship.

“This program and university are clearly on the rise, and the values of the people and this place align with my own,” he said in a statement. “I am grateful for the opportunity. There is tremendous potential under Coach Braun’s leadership, and I’m ready to contribute to this team.”

Kelly was the most prominent assistant hired by Pete Carroll in his first season as Las Vegas’ coach after leading the Seattle Seahawks for 14 years. He reportedly received a $6 million contract, the highest for an NFL offensive coordinator. But he never lived up to the deal. Las Vegas’ offense ranked among the NFL’s worst when he was fired.

Even so, Northwestern coach David Braun called hiring Kelly “a program-defining change” that “is reflective of our long-term commitment to the pursuit of championships” in a statement.

The Wildcats are 19-19 in three seasons under Braun. They went 7-6 this year and beat Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl.

Northwestern is set to move into a new stadium next season after playing home games the past two years at a temporary lakefront facility and at Wrigley Field.

“This is a seminal moment for our program under David Braun’s direction and another indication that we are prepared to pursue the highest standard of excellence in all that we do,” athletic director Mark Jackson said in a statement.

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Andrew Seligman, The Associated Press