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Summary:
- Chip Kelly was dismissed 11 games into his first season after the Raiders fell to 2–9.
- Las Vegas ranks near the bottom of the NFL in scoring, yards, and red zone efficiency.
- Injuries and struggles by Geno Smith and rookie Ashton Jeanty added to the offensive woes.
The Las Vegas Raiders made another tough call on Sunday night, cutting ties with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly just 11 games into his first season with the team.
The move came hours after a 24–10 loss to the Cleveland Browns, a game that pushed the Raiders to 2–9 and deepened what has already been a rough year.
Coach Carroll: “I Would Like to Thank Chip for His Service”
Coach Pete Carroll, in his first season leading the Raiders, didn’t sugarcoat the decision in the team’s statement.
I spoke with Chip Kelly earlier this evening and informed him of his release as offensive coordinator of the Raiders. I would like to thank Chip for his service and wish him all the best in the future.
Carroll didn’t name a replacement, leaving the offense in limbo for now.
The numbers paint a clear picture of why the team felt it had to act. Las Vegas sits at the bottom of the NFL in scoring, averaging just 15 points per game.
They’re near the bottom in total offense, rushing, red zone production, and offensive EPA. Four times this season, the Raiders have failed to reach 10 points, more than any other team.
Kelly: “In This League You Have to Win”
Kelly, speaking to NFL reporter Jay Glazer, didn’t shy away from the reality of the job as praising the locker room.
I am grateful for the opportunity with the Raiders; bottom line in this league you have to win. I really loved those players. I’m a huge, huge Geno Smith fan. That was one of the best parts of this experience for me, working with Geno and those guys every day. But hey, we got to win. I get it.
This is already the second major coaching change of the season for the Raiders, who dismissed special teams coordinator Tom McMahon earlier in November.
Even recently, Carroll spoke publicly about how much he leaned on Kelly, saying,
Chip has a world of experience that I’ve counted on throughout. We’re always working to continue to grow together as much as we can and be representative. … So, we’re trying to get it right.
Kelly arrived in Las Vegas after helping Ohio State win a national title as offensive coordinator, hired with the expectation that he could turn around a unit that struggled badly last season. Instead, the offense slipped further.
Geno Smith has stumbled through one of the toughest years of his career, and while rookie running back Ashton Jeanty has found the end zone eight times, he’s had little room to run behind a battered offensive line.
Injuries haven’t helped either, as the team has spent long stretches without key starters like Brock Bowers, Kolton Miller, and Jackson Powers-Johnson.
It’s the second straight year the Raiders have fired an offensive coordinator midseason. Last year, it was Luke Getsy after nine games. Now, the search begins again as Las Vegas tries to salvage something from a season that has already slipped away.
