Lead
On Sunday night, Nov. 24, 2025, the Las Vegas Raiders dismissed offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, hours after a 24–10 loss to the Cleveland Browns that dropped the team to 2–9. Head coach Pete Carroll announced he had informed Kelly of his release and thanked him for his service. The defeat was the Raiders’ fifth straight and clinched a fourth consecutive losing season and the franchise’s 18th losing season since 2002. The move follows an 11-game tenure in which the Raiders’ offense ranked near the bottom of the league.
Key Takeaways
- Chip Kelly was relieved of his duties on Nov. 24, 2025, after 11 games as Las Vegas’s offensive coordinator.
- The Raiders fell to 2–9 with a 24–10 loss to the Cleveland Browns and extended a five-game losing streak.
- Through 11 games Las Vegas averaged 269 total yards per game (30th in NFL) and 15.5 points per game (31st in NFL).
- In Kelly’s final game, QB Geno Smith was sacked 10 times for a net loss of 77 yards; the team averaged 3.6 yards per play.
- The firing is coach Pete Carroll’s second in-season coordinator dismissal, following special teams coordinator Tom McMahon on Nov. 7.
- Next Gen Stats shows Kolton Miller’s replacement, Stone Forsythe, was isolated on 78.6% of pass-blocking snaps.
Background
The Raiders hired Kelly in the offseason and made him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in football, betting his college-to-NFL schematic experience would translate to pro success. That optimism came amid wider roster concerns: questions about offensive line depth, a rookie running back transition, and inconsistent wide-receiver production. Historically, coaches who bring college systems to the NFL have faced scrutiny when protection and personnel mismatches emerge; schematic flexibility and protection schemes are common points of contention.
Las Vegas began the season with a road victory over the AFC-leading New England Patriots, but early inconsistencies surfaced in Week 2 when the Raiders lost at home to the Los Angeles Chargers. Coach Carroll publicly criticized play calling after that loss, signaling internal friction on offensive strategy. The offensive line lost Kolton Miller to a high ankle sprain in Week 4, compounding protection issues and pressuring play-callers to adjust in-game and across the week.
Main Event
The team announced Kelly’s dismissal late Sunday after the 24–10 defeat in Cleveland, which left the Raiders 2–9. In the postgame release, Carroll said he had informed Kelly of the decision and thanked him for his service, adding that the offense failed to produce and the team could not convert opportunities. The loss was characterized by sustained pressure on the quarterback and few successful explosive plays.
Statistically the offense struggled: Las Vegas ranked 30th in total offense at 269 yards per game and 31st in scoring at 15.5 points per game through 11 games. The line’s breakdown was acute in the final contest—Geno Smith absorbed 10 sacks, a net loss of 77 yards, and the offense averaged just 3.6 yards per play. Those numbers were central to the team’s decision to change play callers midseason.
The Carroll-Kelly relationship showed strain earlier in the year, with Carroll publicly disputing certain play decisions after the Week 2 loss. Internal tensions, visible on and off the field, accelerated scrutiny of Kelly’s approach. The personnel mix, injuries and schematic choices combined to create results that the organization judged unsalvageable without a change at coordinator.
Analysis & Implications
Kelly’s dismissal reflects both schematic mismatch and roster realities. His system did not sufficiently adapt to an offensive line weakened by injury and by inexperienced starters; Next Gen Stats indicates one tackle was left on an island on a high percentage of snaps, a situation that often requires additional schematic protection. Without creative protection packages or quick-release designs, pressure translated directly into sacks and negative plays.
Beyond line play, the Raiders’ run game and usage of top rookie pick Ashton Jeanty failed to produce consistent gains or high-volume touches, limiting play-action effectiveness and explosive opportunities. Execution errors and assignment confusion were visible in game tape, pointing to preparation gaps as well as schematic rigidity. Those are problems often pinned on a play caller but that also implicate coaching across offensive meetings and position rooms.
Organizationally, an in-season coordinator firing signals urgency from ownership and the head coach to change trajectory quickly, but it also risks short-term continuity costs. Interim play-callers will need to prioritize simplification and protection-based game plans to stabilize quarterback play. Longer term, the Raiders will evaluate whether to pursue a coordinator comfortable with tailoring schemes to roster limitations or to rebuild line and skill positions around a preferred system.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Raiders (through 11 games) | League Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards per game | 269 | 30th |
| Points per game | 15.5 | 31st |
| Yards per play (final game) | 3.6 | — |
| Sacks allowed (final game) | 10 (−77 yards) | — |
The table illustrates where Las Vegas’ offense ranked and the severity of breakdowns in the final outing. Against the Browns the offensive inefficiency was acute, and season-long ranking data shows the problem predates any single week. Those metrics provide a shorthand for why the franchise opted for a leadership change at offensive play-calling.
Reactions & Quotes
The team released a short statement from coach Pete Carroll explaining the decision and expressing thanks to Kelly; Carroll framed the move as necessary after sustained offensive struggles. League reporters and analytics outlets highlighted schematic protection issues and personnel shortfalls as central to the firing.
I spoke with Chip Kelly earlier this evening and informed him of his release as offensive coordinator of the Raiders. I would like to thank Chip for his service and wish him all the best in the future.
Pete Carroll (team statement)
We’re pretty disappointed about this one, but if you don’t score, you can’t win — and we couldn’t score.
Pete Carroll (postgame comments)
It’s unfair to assign all offensive problems to Kelly, but his scheme was poorly constructed and the team often looked unprepared.
Ted Nguyen (NFL senior writer)
Unconfirmed
- The specific dollar amount of Kelly’s contract (widely reported as the highest-paid OC) has not been disclosed by the team in its announcement.
- Reports of internal staff friction and locker-room sentiment are based on media accounts and have not been fully corroborated by the Raiders organization.
- Attribution of all schematic failures solely to Kelly remains contested; multiple coaches and player-preparation factors also contribute to on-field results.
Bottom Line
The Raiders dismissed Chip Kelly after 11 games amid persistent offensive struggles, acute pass-protection failures and a stretch of five straight defeats. The firing highlights a clash between schematic approach and roster realities—particularly along the offensive line—and the limits of implementing a college-rooted system without substantial protection adjustments.
In the near term, Las Vegas will seek immediate stabilization through simplified play-calling and protection-focused game plans to shield the quarterback and generate manageable gains. Longer term, the franchise faces a choice: adapt future offensive hires to current personnel or rebuild certain roster areas to fit a preferred scheme. Fans and executives should watch subsequent coordinator hires and offensive-line moves as signals of the organization’s direction.