Northwestern hires Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator

Chip Kelly was hired as Northwestern offensive coordinator on Tuesday.

Kelly, 62, was fired as offensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 23 after a 2-9 start this season.

He was the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles (2013-15) and San Francisco 49ers (2016) and at Oregon (2009-12) and UCLA (2018-23).

"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Chip and his wife, Jill, to our university," Wildcats head coach David Braun said in a news release. "His innovative approach to offense using systems that focus on varying tempo, efficiency and smart decision-making, his track record of developing quarterbacks, and his ability to maximize talent are exactly what our program needs at this moment.

"I am extremely grateful for the ongoing partnership of our university, Mark Jackson and passionate supporters to make this addition happen. Make no mistake: this is a program-defining change and is reflective of our long-term commitment to the pursuit of championships."

Kelly's 35 years of coaching experience also includes serving as offensive coordinator during Ohio State's national championship season in 2024. He was offensive coordinator at New Hampshire (1999-2006) and Oregon (2007-08).

"I am honored to join the Northwestern Football program," Kelly said. "This program and university are clearly on the rise, and the values of the people and this place align with my own. I am grateful for the opportunity. There is tremendous potential under Coach Braun's leadership, and I'm ready to contribute to this team."

Kelly compiled a 35-34 record as a head coach in college and a 28-35 record in the NFL.

His 2024 Buckeyes averaged 35.7 points and 429.4 yards of offense per game.

Northwestern finished 7-6 (4-5 Big Ten) in its third season under Braun in 2025, averaging 23.4 points and 346.1 yards per game.

Zach Lujan was the offensive coordinator for the Wildcats for the past two seasons.