The Las Vegas Raiders fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly on Sunday night, making a major coaching change midway through the season.
The move came shortly after his eleven games of the season with the organization.
Kelly’s dismissal came in the middle of the Raiders’ offensive struggles. The final blow turned out to be a brutal 24-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns, dropping the Raiders to 2-9 on the season.
Head coach Pete Carroll, in his first season with Las Vegas, released a statement after the team fell to 2-9: “I spoke with Chip Kelly earlier this evening and informed him of his release as the Raiders’ offensive coordinator. I would like to thank Chip for his service and wish him all the best in the future.”
Kelly’s tenure with the Raiders was marked by a lack of impressive offensive production for Las Vegas. In Week 12, they ranked 30th in points, total yards, rushing yards, offensive EPA and red zone efficiency under Kelly’s tutelage.
These offensive woes have coincided with a decline for quarterback Geno Smith, who has struggled with the Raiders this season.
Smith threw an alarming 13 interceptions in addition to 13 touchdowns in his first 10 games this season, as opposed to last season’s 17 games where he threw a total of 15 picks. Smith was also sacked ten times, demonstrating the team’s ongoing problems.
Speaking to an NFL reporter, Kelly said: “I’m grateful for the opportunity with the Raiders; the bottom line is you have to win in this league,” Kelly said.
“I really loved those players. I’m a 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’ve got to win. I get it,” he added.
Kelly became a part of Las Vegas after her final appearance on the NFL sideline with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016.
