The Las Vegas Raiders have overhauled their offense in hopes of breaking out of recent mediocrity, and the most significant change came at the top: hiring Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator. After guiding Ohio State to a National Championship last season, Kelly returns to the NFL with a refreshed vision — and the personnel in Las Vegas to make it work.
Chip Kelly Changed His Stripes Before Joining the Raiders
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Kelly’s time in Columbus wasn’t just a college revival tour. As ESPN’s Ryan Clark noted on The Mina Kimes Show, “He evolved — and he was so good at Ohio State. He had three pros on the outside, but against Notre Dame, a team beat up front, he said, ‘You know what? We’re going to go 12 personnel and run the football.’ And you know what else they did? They huddled. In 2025!”
That adaptability — scheming to win, not just to impress — is precisely what the Raiders have lacked in recent years.
Now, Kelly inherits a talented cast. Veteran quarterback Geno Smith, acquired via trade, offers steady leadership and accuracy. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty adds explosiveness to the ground game, and Kelly will have a rare tight end duo in Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer. Both are dynamic threats in 12- and even 13-personnel sets, which are expected to be a key part of Kelly’s scheme.
“With me and Brock, it’s pretty interesting,” Mayer said this spring. “We’ve been doing a lot of 12-personnel stuff, and even some 13. I’ve got to block, pass protect, run routes — whatever Chip needs, I’ve got to do it.”
Kelly emphasized this flexibility himself: “You always adapt to your personnel. There’s no one system. It depends on who you have and what they do best — and we have a lot of really, really good coaches on our staff to figure that out.”
“I like what he [Chip Kelly] has been doing,” said Brock Bowers on SportsCenter. “Just using his playmakers and trying to get everyone the ball decent amount. We will see what he pulls out during camp, and during the season we will see.”
For years, the Raiders struggled with playcallers who failed to mold schemes to their roster. Kelly, who helped pioneer the tempo-based spread offense, now returns as a more pragmatic, refined strategist.
If he brings the same situational awareness and adaptability that fueled Ohio State’s title run, the Raiders offense could finally find the identity it’s lacked — and become a group that wins with its strengths, not just its style.