Report: Chip Kelly had multiple interviews with Raiders, named potential candidate for Commanders OC job

Plenty of coaches in the National Football League are busy filling out their respective staffs for the upcoming season. And the Las Vegas Raiders have been busy piecing together their new staff under new head coach, Antonio Pierce. Pierce decided to bring in Kliff Kingsbury as his offensive coordinator, but he actually interviewed UCLA head coach Chip Kelly twice for the same role, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Kelly appeared to be open to a return to the National Football League, but Pierce ultimately went with Kingsbury as his choice to run the Raiders’ offensive attack in 2024. And the NFL’s interest in Chip Kelly hasn’t stopped there.

On Thursday evening, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Kelly is a candidate for the Commanders OC position under their new head coach, Dan Quinn. Chip Kelly is a former two-time NFL head coach and per Fowler, is believed to have interest in returning to the league. The Washington Commanders will consider speaking with him.

Could Chip Kelly return to the NFL?

Kelly, who was once the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, might return to the pros in an offensive coordinator role. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported something similar back in December, prior to the end of the regular season.

But, Kelly could be an attractive option to teams with defensive minded head coach or a first-year leader.

“Multiple sources tell CBS Sports that UCLA head coach Chip Kelly has been mentioned as a possible offensive coordinator by multiple head-coaching candidates this cycle, and multiple teams have started due diligence on the former Eagles and 49ers head coach for their potential offensive coordinator vacancy,” Jones wrote. “Kelly ushered in an offensive revolution in the NFL in the 2010s with his hurry-up offense and RPO-laden schemes.”

Glazer reported Kelly, among others, was in a great position to spearhead an NFL offense while a new head coach focuses on the defensive side of the ball.

“This is the time of the year that we started looking at these candidates,” Glazer said on New Year’s Eve. “Last night Detroit had one, Ben Johnson, he’s really the top guy out there for offensive coaches. It’s gonna be a slew of defensive coaches. What I’m being told is the defensive coaches are starting to pick around and make some calls from guys with college and pro experience.

“Guys like Kliff Kingsbury, Chip Kelly, who’s at UCLA right now, Jedd Fisch who’s in Arizona, has done a great job in Arizona … But they’re trying to look for those offensive coaches to bring in even though they are coming with a defensive background.”

He went 28-35 overall, but that included a 2-14 record in his lone season with the 49ers. Kelly went 26-21 with the Eagles, including an NFC East title in his first year in 2013.

He returned to college football in 2018 with UCLA and is now 35-34 with the Bruins. He went 46-7 with Oregon and led the Ducks to the BCS National Championship Game in 2010.

On3’s Nick Kosko also contributed to this article.