Chip Kelly is reportedly returning to the NFL.

Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Pete Thamel, the Las Vegas Raiders have hired Kelly to be their offensive coordinator. Kelly spent the 2024 season as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, helping the Buckeyes win a national championship against Notre Dame last month.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Raiders gave Kelly a contract averaging $6 million per year, which makes him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the league. Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka were previously the highest paid at $3 million per year.

Kelly cut his teeth at a handful of smaller schools before getting his first major gig as Oregon’s offensive coordinator in 2007. He took over as the Ducks head coach in 2009 and excelled, leading them to 10 wins or more in all four of his seasons and reaching the BCS national championship game in 2010.

Kelly got his first NFL coaching job in 2013 when the Philadelphia Eagles hired him as their head coach. He reached the playoffs in his first season at the helm but was fired in 2015 after a 6-9 start to the season.

Kelly then coached the San Francisco 49ers for a year in 2016 but was let go after a disastrous 2-14 season.

Following his struggles in the NFL ranks, Kelly returned to the collegiate ranks, taking over as UCLA’s head coach in 2018. Kelly struggled early but posted three consecutive seasons with eight or more wins.

His success with the Bruins ultimately landed him the job at Ohio State ahead of the 2024 season.

Under Kelly, Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard threw for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns while adding 226 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. Ohio State’s offense averaged 37.2 points and 429.4 yards per game.

In the College Football Playoff, Ohio State beat Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame each by double digits in one of the most impressive four-game stretches in recent memory.

Buckeyes star receiver Jeremiah Smith, who thrived under Kelly, reacted to the trade on social media:

Now Kelly will join a Raiders team that recently hired legendary coach Pete Carroll after his one-year stint away from the NFL. Las Vegas is looking for a coaching staff that can put it back in playoff contention, and the Raiders certainly have an experienced group.

Whether that experience will lead to wins is to be seen.