LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The new leadership of the Las Vegas Raiders is taking shape.
New head coach Pete Carroll is building his coaching staff, bringing back defensive coordinator Patrick Graham for his fourth season with the team and bringing in Chip Kelly to be offensive coordinator.
▶ Watch Black Hole fans react to Raiders hiring Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator
Set to call plays for the Silver & Black after Luke Getsy lasted nine games with the role last season, Kelly comes off helping lead Ohio State to a national championship as the Buckeyes OC.
Kelly, 61, is reportedly becoming the highest-paid offensive coordinator in NFL history at $6 million a year. The Raiders will mark his third stop in the NFL and his first as an OC.
Kelly's resume includes a 4-season stint (2013-16) as an NFL head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. He's mostly known for his time as a college head coach, seeing success leading the Oregon Ducks and UCLA Bruins.
On Wednesday, Kelly met with media for the first time since news broke Sunday that he was being hired by the Raiders.
▶ Watch Full press conference with Chip Kelly on his offensive coordinator position
Kelly said he's "fired up to be in Vegas and be in this situation."
"Some people talk about commitment to excellence but you can see by this building and the stadium they play in, the Raiders are committed to it," Kelly said. "It's our job as a coaching staff to execute the vision Mark [Davis] has...There's no better group to do it with than Pete Carroll, John Spytek [GM], and Tom Brady [minority owner]."
Kelly's arrival in Vegas closely coincides with Dan Mullen's arrival as UNLV head football coach after Barry Odom left for Purdue. Kelly and Mullen go way back, sharing the hometown of Manchester, New Hampshire.
▶ Watch UNLV football coach Barry Odom takes Purdue head-coaching job
"Our paths constantly cross throughout the years taking care of each other," Mullen said in his National Signing Day press conference Wednesday.
Formerly the head coach for Florida and Mississippi State, Mullen says Kelly helped get him his first coaching job. They now both end up in Vegas weeks apart and Mullen "imagines they'll be sharing ideas."
Ohio State HC Ryan Day is also from what they call 'Manchevegas.'
In his Wednesday presser, Kelly said he thinks his long-time friend Mullen "will do a great job" leading the Rebels and thought it "was a really good hire." He also applauds Barry Odom, saying "he did an unbelievable job at UNLV."
The Raiders will continue to build their staff before Kelly sets his sights on fixing a Las Vegas offense that ranked among the bottom of the NFL in most categories in 2024.
