Tom Brady has only been an official owner of the Las Vegas Raiders for three and a half months. In that brief period, though, he has made a major impact. Brady was integral in luring Pete Carroll to Sin City to be Las Vegas’ next head coach. Now, he has convinced former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly to join Carroll’s staff as offensive coordinator.
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Kelly, who served at the NCAA level as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator in 2024, was in a cozy position. He just won a national title with the Buckeyes in January. Nonetheless, Brady’s vision for rebuilding the Raiders was compelling enough to make him leave.
For the short term, Las Vegas appears to have two prominent staff positions sorted out. However, to make waves in the hotly contested AFC West, they need to find a franchise quarterback. Las Vegas Raiders Network analyst Sanjit T. discussed the team’s options heading into the 2025 campaign. In that recap, he alluded to one of Kelly’s former players as a potential solution.
“Who’s going to be the Raiders’ quarterback? And, of course, some people are gonna say, ‘maybe Chip Kelly can utilize a guy like Gardner Minshew. Maybe a guy like Aidan O’Connell… Ohio State also has another really, really solid quarterback coming out this year. Right now, he’s being projected as a second [or] third-round pick.”
That “solid quarterback” is Kansas State transfer Will Howard. Howard dominated the College Football Playoff for Kelly, completing 75.2% of his passes (82/105) for 1,150 yards, eight touchdowns and just two interceptions in Ohio State’s championship run. There’s a big step up from college football to the NFL, but Kelly’s history with Howard could pay dividends for the Raiders if they select him in the NFL Draft.
Sanjit T: Chip Kelly likely won’t become NFL head coach in 2026
One of the reasons Brady wanted Carroll to be Las Vegas’ head coach is his proven ability to establish a culture. Carroll had a seven-year stretch at USC (2002-08) where he posted an incredible 82-9 record. In Seattle, he went 98-41-1 in a nine-year span (2012-20). He won a championship with the Trojans and Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seahawks.
Carroll, at age 74, is the oldest head coach in NFL history. He’s not the Raiders’ long-term solution, but he’s an incredible bridge to whoever will follow in his footsteps. Sanjit T. believes that could end up being Kelly.
“Chip Kelly is not a coach that’s gonna be here for one year and then he’s off to becoming a head coach… I think Chip Kelly, if he wants to become a head coach, is probably two or three years out. So for the Raiders, that means for the next two years, we’ll have an offensive coordinator that will be consistent… when you have a defensive-minded head coach, [that’s] important.”
Kelly has succeeded as a college and NFL head coach in his career. He could be a candidate to replace Carroll down the line. What feels more likely, though, is him becoming Brady’s version of Josh McDaniels: the long-time, reliable offensive coordinator whose constant presence aids a franchise quarterback’s development.
Brady still needs to figure out who Las Vegas’ next quarterback is. He also needs to find his long-term head coach; someone who can be Bill Belichick to Kelly’s McDaniels. But Rome wasn’t built in a day. Brady’s early returns on setting a foundation are excellent. And that is something Raiders fans can appreciate as the offseason gets into full swing.
