Raiders are sitting on a critical secret weapon ahead of the 2025 season

Following a four-win 2024 season, the Las Vegas Raiders prioritized a significant culture reset this offseason. Head coach Pete Carroll is leading this transformation and has assembled an impressive coaching staff, including a potential hidden asset: new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.

On the NFL Daily podcast, NFL Network's Greg Rosenthal identified Kelly as the Raiders' secret weapon in the AFC, focusing on his personal growth. Rosenthal noted Kelly's past struggles managing personalities and rigid offensive approach during his Philadelphia Eagles head coaching tenure. However, he highlighted Kelly's adaptability, evidenced by varied offensive styles (run-heavy, pass-heavy) in subsequent roles, suggesting Kelly, now in his sixties, is better positioned to succeed as an NFL coordinator than he was as a head coach.

Kelly's NFL head coaching history includes initial playoff appearances with the Eagles in 2013 and 2014 using his fast-paced offense, but he was fired during his third season. A disastrous 2-14 season as the San Francisco 49ers' head coach in 2016 followed. After returning to college football as UCLA's head coach (2018-2023), Kelly won a National Championship as Ohio State's offensive coordinator in 2024.

In Las Vegas, Kelly inherits significant offensive talent, including quarterback Geno Smith, All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, 1,000-yard receiver Jakobi Meyers, and highly-touted rookie running back Ashton Jeanty.

The article concludes that while Kelly proved unsuited for an NFL head coaching role, his experiences and growth make offensive coordinator an ideal position. His lessons learned from past professional failures are expected to greatly benefit the Raiders' offense.