Northwestern Hires Chip Kelly as Offensive Coordinator

Northwestern University has hired veteran coach Chip Kelly as its new offensive coordinator, bringing a seasoned offensive mind to the Big Ten program as it prepares for a new stadium era. The 62-year-old Kelly, who was fired by the Las Vegas Raiders in November after a 2-9 start to his tenure there, will work under head coach David Braun, who is entering his fourth season leading the Wildcats.

Kelly's appointment fills the vacancy left by Zach Lujan, whose contract expired after the 2024 season. Northwestern finished that year with a 7-6 record, including a 34-7 victory over Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl. The team's offense ranked 15th in the Big Ten, averaging 22.5 points per game, an area Braun has prioritized for improvement.

A coaching career spanning more than three decades has defined Kelly's path to Evanston. He began as an assistant at Columbia University in 1990, later serving as a position coach at New Hampshire and Johns Hopkins. From 1999 to 2006, Kelly was offensive coordinator at New Hampshire, where he overlapped with Ryan Day, now Ohio State's head coach, who played quarterback under him.

Kelly's breakthrough came at Oregon, where he joined as...