Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly following Week 12\'s loss to the Cleveland Browns, but sources indicate Kelly was never allowed to run his own offensive system during his 11-game tenure. The dismissal has exposed a lack of cohesion in the Raiders\' coaching structure during Carroll\'s first season as the team sits at 2-9.
Defensive coordinators who faced the Raiders this season say the offense resembled Shane Waldron\'s 2023 Seattle Seahawks scheme under Carroll more than Kelly\'s trademark system. Kelly\'s creative shotgun runs were dramatically limited in favor of Carroll\'s preferred under-center zone schemes.
One previous opponent had their scout team prepare cards based on Seattle plays from Carroll\'s tenure, sources told NFL reporters. Interim offensive coordinator Greg Olson is expected to run the same plays when the Raiders face the Chargers on Sunday.
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported that Kelly sometimes botched play calls and called plays not in the game plan on several occasions. Sources say Kelly expressed frustration about the setup and was miffed at Carroll\'s heavy-handed control over the offense.
Kelly held multiple options before taking the Raiders job in February 2025 after winning a College Football Playoff championship as Ohio State\'s offensive coordinator in 2024. He may have chosen differently if he had known about the limited autonomy.
Sources said coaches were excited about Kelly\'s gun-based offense in spring but ran basically none of it this season. Kelly\'s staff contained mostly coaches with connections to Carroll, including offensive line coach Brennan Carroll.
The Raiders have scored 15 points per game, tied for last in the NFL with New Orleans. Las Vegas ranks last in yards per carry for the second straight season at 3.5.
Quarterback Geno Smith, Carroll\'s hand-picked starter, leads the league with 13 interceptions. The Raiders also have a significant talent deficiency across the roster.
Raiders rookies have played just 1,327 offensive and defensive snaps this season, 12th-fewest in the NFL. First-round running back Ashton Jeanty accounts for 479 of those snaps, meaning other rookies have played only 848 combined snaps.