Chip Kelly lands new offensive coordinator job

Published: Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at 3:25 pm

Chip Kelly Named Offensive Coordinator at Northwestern

Veteran coach Chip Kelly has quickly found a new role after his recent departure from the Las Vegas Raiders. ESPN reports that Kelly has been hired as the offensive coordinator at Northwestern University, replacing Zach Lujan, whose contract is expiring.

Kelly's arrival comes as Northwestern seeks to bolster its offensive performance. During the regular season, the Wildcats averaged 22.5 points per game, placing them 15th out of 18 teams in the Big Ten. Nationally, Northwestern ranked 96th in both total offense and scoring offense. The university is hoping Kelly can revitalize their offensive strategy.

Kelly's appointment follows his brief tenure as offensive coordinator for the Raiders, where he was fired in November. However, Northwestern appears unconcerned by this, recognizing Kelly's extensive experience and reputation as a top offensive mind.

Kelly's resume includes a successful stint as the offensive coordinator and primary play-caller for Ohio State, where he helped lead the team to a national championship. Prior to that, Kelly held head coaching positions at both the collegiate and professional levels. He achieved success as the head coach at Oregon from 2009 to 2012. He also coached the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers in the NFL, and later served as head coach at UCLA.

Northwestern is currently led by 40-year-old head coach David Braun, who is in his third season. The Wildcats concluded the season with a 7-6 record, culminating in a 34-7 victory over Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl.

BNN's Perspective:

The hiring of Chip Kelly by Northwestern is a high-risk, high-reward move. While his recent stint with the Raiders was short-lived, his track record speaks for itself. If Kelly can replicate his past successes, he could significantly improve Northwestern's offensive capabilities. However, the pressure will be on to deliver results quickly, given the team's recent struggles.

Keywords: Chip Kelly, Northwestern, offensive coordinator, college football, Big Ten, Zach Lujan, David Braun, Ohio State, Oregon, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, UCLA, Las Vegas Raiders, football coaching

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