Ohio State football’s Ryan Day is losing his offensive coordinator and mentor to the NFL

Posted by author February 2, 2025 Football

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football is losing offensive coordinator Chip Kelly to the NFL.

He’s leaving to fill the same position for the Las Vegas Raiders, according to reports from ESPN.

Kelly spent one season with the Buckeyes, helping lead the program to its ninth national title.

His salary will jump from $2 million to an average of $6 million per year, making him the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL, according to a report from Albert Breer.

Kelly joined Ohio State ahead of the 2024 season after leaving his role as UCLA’s head coach. By coming to Columbus, Kelly reunited with coach Ryan Day.

The two are natives of Manchester, New Hampshire. They both attended Manchester Central High School, though Kelly, 61, is 16 years older.

Kelly’s coaching career eventually brought him to the University of New Hampshire where, in the midst of a 13-season tenure, Day served as his quarterback (1998-2001).

Kelly left New Hampshire ahead of the 2007 season to serve as Oregon’s offensive coordinator. He took over as the Ducks’ head coach in 2009 and oversaw one of the most successful runs in program history.

Kelly left Oregon for the NFL, where he served as the Eagles’ head coach (2013-15) and spent a season at the helm for the 49ers (2016).

He returned to collegiate football in 2018 and served as UCLA’s head coach through the 2023 season.

Along with Kelly’s departure, Ohio State is still working to replace defensive coordinator Jim Knowles who left for Penn State last month.

Offensive line coach Justin Frye also recently left to serve in the same position for the Arizona Cardinals.