Northwestern University has announced the hiring of Chip Kelly as its new offensive coordinator, marking his return to college football. This decision comes after Kelly”s short tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL, as reported by Pete Thamel of ESPN on Tuesday.
At 62 years old, Kelly has established a notable career in coaching, particularly for his time with the Oregon Ducks from 2009 to 2012. During his tenure at Oregon, he led the Ducks to a National Championship game in 2011, showcasing his offensive prowess. Following his success at the collegiate level, Kelly transitioned to the NFL, where he served as head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2012 to 2015 and the San Francisco 49ers in 2016.
After returning to college coaching with the UCLA Bruins in 2018, Kelly achieved further success, culminating in winning a National Championship in 2024 while serving as Ohio State”s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. However, his time with the Raiders ended prematurely, as he was let go after a challenging start to the season with a record of 2-9.
Now, just over a month after his departure from Las Vegas, Kelly is set to replace outgoing offensive coordinator Zach Lujan at Northwestern. Lujan”s contract is nearing its end following the conclusion of the season. Kelly will join forces with head coach David Braun, who has led the team to two bowl victories in three seasons. This past season, Northwestern concluded with a 7-6 record and celebrated a convincing win over Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl, finishing the game with a score of 34-7.
