 Kelly in 2025 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1963-11-25)November 25, 1963 (age 62) Dover, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school | Manchester Central(Manchester, New Hampshire) |
| College | New Hampshire (1981–1984) |
| Position | Defensive back |
| Career history | |
| |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season | NCAA: 78–38 (.672) NFL: 28–35 (.444) |
| Postseason | NCAA: 3–3 (.500) NFL: 0–1 (.000) |
| Career | NCAA: 81–41 (.664) NFL: 28–36 (.438) |
| Coaching profile atPro Football Reference | |
Charles Edward Kelly (born November 25, 1963)[1] is an American professionalfootball coach who most recently served as theoffensive coordinator for theLas Vegas Raiders of theNational Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as acollege football head coach at theOregon Ducks from2009 to2012, leading them to the2011 BCS National Championship Game. Kelly's success led to a stint in the NFL, where he coached for four seasons, three with thePhiladelphia Eagles (2013–2015) and one with theSan Francisco 49ers (2016). After the NFL, Kelly returned to college in 2018 as the head coach for theUCLA Bruins, coaching for six seasons before leaving in 2024 to join Ohio State as their offensive coordinator. Kelly was hired by the Raiders to be their offensive coordinator in 2025, but was fired after Week 12 following a 2-9 start to the season.
Kelly was born inDover, New Hampshire. He attendedManchester Central High School, where he played football,ice hockey, andbasketball.[2] Kelly earned hisBachelor of Science inphysical education from theUniversity of New Hampshire in 1990.[3]
Kelly played quarterback at Manchester Central High School and defensive back at theUniversity of New Hampshire.[4]
Kelly broke into the coaching ranks in 1990 for theColumbia UniversityLions,[5] where he served assecondary andspecial teams coach for the freshman team.[citation needed] The next year, Kelly was outside linebackers and strong safeties coach for the varsity team.[citation needed] In 1992, he went to theUniversity of New Hampshire — his alma mater — as therunning backs coach. A year later, Kelly left to become thedefensive coordinator atJohns Hopkins University for one season.[5] He returned to his alma mater as the running backs coach for the next three seasons (1994–96). Kelly was just in time to devise a zone-blocking scheme for starJerry Azumah. From 1995 through 1998, the speedy back raised the profile of UNH football as he rushed for what was then an FCS record 6,193 yards.[5] Kelly changed to theoffensive line coach for two seasons (1997–98).[3]
Kelly was promoted to offensive coordinator at New Hampshire in 1999. The Wildcats' offenses averaged better than 400 yards per game oftotal offense in seven of his eight seasons.[2]In 2004, the school broke 29 offensive school records; compiling 5,446 yards of total offense and scoring 40 or more points in seven games. Their best offensive output was in 2005 when the Wildcats finished second nationally in total offense (493.5 ypg), third in scoring (41.7 ppg), and fifth in passing (300.1 ypg). They finished the season with an 11–2 record.
Kelly was named the College Assistant Coach of the Year by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston following the 2005 season in addition to being selected as "one of college football's hottest coaches" by American Football Monthly.[6] In 2006, quarterbackRicky Santos won theWalter Payton Award under Kelly's guidance, after Santos finished second in balloting for the award in 2005.[6]
Kelly, along withUNLV Rebels head coachDan Mullen, formerWinnipeg Blue Bombers offensive coordinatorGary Crowton, andOhio State head coachRyan Day, is part of the so-called "New Hampshire mafia" as they all have strong connections to New Hampshire.[7]
Kelly was hired as offensive coordinator at Oregon in February 2007.[8] His potentspread offense attack was an instant success at Oregon.
In his first season as offensive coordinator at Oregon, the Ducks led thePac-10 in scoring (38.15 ppg) and total offense (467.54 ypg), and also became the highest scoring team while amassing the most yards in the history ofOregon football. Prior to Kelly's arrival at Oregon,Dennis Dixon struggled in his first three seasons at quarterback. Under Kelly's guidance, Dixon was thePac-10 Offensive Player of the Year and emerged as aHeisman Trophy candidate.[9]
In 2008, the Ducks once again led the Pac-10 in scoring (41.9 ppg) and total offense (484.8 ypg), while breaking the school record marks set the previous season.
On March 31, 2009, Oregon announced head coachMike Bellotti would be promoted to athletic director, with Kelly promoted to head coach.[10]
Kelly coached theOregon Ducks to BCS games in each of his four seasons as head coach: the2010 Rose Bowl,2011 BCS National Championship Game,2012 Rose Bowl, and2013 Fiesta Bowl. Kelly coached Oregon to three consecutive outright conference championships from 2009 to 2011 and a conference division title in 2012. Oregon won its second consecutive BCS bowl game after they defeated #5 Kansas State in the 2013 Fiesta Bowl. What may be considered the most important part of Kelly's résumé at Oregon, however, is that he posted undefeated records against the Ducks most hated rivals, theOregon StateBeavers and theWashingtonHuskies, something never before achieved by an Oregon coach.
Kelly was named the 2009 and 2010Pac-10 Coach of the Year, 2010Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, 2010Walter Camp Coach of the Year, 2010Sporting News Coach of the Year, 2010AFCA Coach of the Year Award, and 2010Associated Press Coach of the Year.
Kelly helped theDucks gain national attention in2009 after an upset of the then #5USC Trojans on October 31.[11] Kelly became the first Pac-10 coach to win an outright conference championship in his first season, sending the Ducks to theRose Bowl for the first time since 1995. The Ducks hoped to win their first Rose Bowl since 1917, but lost a close game to Ohio State.[12] On December 7, 2009, Kelly was named Pac-10 Coach of the year. He was the second Ducks coach to earn the honor, the other beingRich Brooks (two times).[13]
Prior to the2010 season, Kelly suspendedJeremiah Masoli for the season after the quarterback pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary charges, marking the second year in a row that a key player was suspended.[14] Masoli was later dismissed from the team following an arrest for marijuana possession and several driving infractions.[15] In early October, Kelly led the team to a #1 spot on theAP,Harris, andUSA Today Coaches Poll, followed a few weeks later by a #1 BCS ranking.[16][17] With a 37–20 win over theOregon State Beavers on December 4, 2010, Kelly led the Ducks to a 9–0 finish in conference play, winning their second consecutive outright Pac-10 title. WithDarron Thomas at quarterback andDoak Walker Award winnerLaMichael James at running back, the Ducks averaged 49.3 points and 537.5 yards per game in the regular season. In December, following an undefeated 12–0 season and an end-of-season #2 BCS ranking, Oregon was selected to play the #1Auburn Tigers in theBCS national championship game on January 10, 2011.[18] The Tigers, out of theSoutheastern Conference, were coached byGene Chizik, and had theHeisman Trophy winner atquarterback inCam Newton. The Ducks lost, 22–19, on a last-second, 19-yard field goal by Wes Byrum.[19] It was the closest that a team from thePacific Northwest has come to winning a share of the national championship since 1991. In recognition of his coaching achievements, Kelly received theEddie Robinson Coach of the Year award, theWalter Camp Coach of the Year award and was namedPac-10 Coach of the Year for the second year running.[18][20] Kelly also won theAP Coach of the Year.[21]
The 2011 season began with the#3 Ducks facing the#4 LSU Tigers in theCowboys Classic where they were defeated 40–27. Oregon won their next nine games, including a 53–30 blowout victory at#3 Stanford. A consecutive trip back to theBCS Championship appeared to be a strong possibility, but they were defeated 38–35 by#18 USC when an Oregon field goal attempt failed as time expired. The Ducks won their third straight Pac-12 championship title after defeatingUCLA in the inauguralPac-12 Football Championship Game. They represented the Pac-12 in theRose Bowl and defeated#10 Wisconsin 45–38. It was their second Rose Bowl appearance in three years and their sixth overall. This was Oregon's third consecutive year in a BCS bowl game. The Ducks finished the season 12–2 (8–1 Pac-12) with a#4 final season ranking.[22][23]
Oregon's all-time leading rusherLaMichael James decided to forgo his senior season in 2012 for theNFL and starting quarterbackDarron Thomas, with a career starting record of 23–3, surprisingly also decided to leave early for the NFL. Led by redshirt freshmanMarcus Mariota at quarterback and senior tailbackKenjon Barner, Oregon rolled to ten straight victories before finally falling to#14 Stanford in overtime 17–14 on November 17. Oregon had two opportunities to beat Stanford with a field goal but both attempts failed. Kelly's Ducks would rebound to beat#16 Oregon State in theCivil War for the fifth straight year and play#5 Kansas State in the2013 Fiesta Bowl. The Ducks proved to be too much for Kansas State as they prevailed in a 35–17 victory in Oregon's fourth consecutive year in a BCS bowl game.[24] The Ducks finished the season 12–1 (8–1 Pac-12) with a#2 ranking, putting them in the top five of the final season rankings for the third straight season.[25]
On April 16, 2013,The Oregonian reported that the University of Oregon had offered to put its football program on two years' probation in response to NCAA violations that allegedly took place during Kelly's tenure as head coach.[26] On June 26, 2013, the NCAA Committee on Infractions issued its report concluding the investigation into Oregon's use of football scouting services. Oregon received three years of probation, reduction of scholarships, but nobowl ban. Kelly received an 18-monthshow-cause penalty, which would have made an immediate hiring by another NCAA institution difficult. This obstacle became moot, however, after Kelly spent the next four years coaching in the NFL.[27]
New York Giants coachTom Coughlin tried to hire Kelly as a quality control coach in 2006 when he was still the offensive coordinator at theUniversity of New Hampshire.[28] Kelly turned down the offer and shortly after became the offensive coordinator at theUniversity of Oregon.
In the spring of 2009,Jon Gruden and Kelly spent several days in Tampa, Florida, discussing theories, progressions, and offensive strategies.[29] In November 2010, he visitedPete Carroll at theSeattle Seahawks practice facility during an Oregon bye week.[30]
In January 2012, theTampa Bay Buccaneers interviewed Kelly for the head coach position, but he declined to take the job since he had "unfinished business to complete" with the Ducks.[31]
During the 2012 offseason, Kelly met withNew England Patriots head coachBill Belichick to discuss how he operated the "blur" offense that Kelly ran at Oregon. New England had implemented the hurry up offense as early as 2007.[32]Oregonian columnistJohn Canzano speculated that Kelly was waiting for theNew England Patriots head coaching position to become available.
In early January 2013, numerous NFL teams expressed interest and Kelly was interviewed by theBuffalo Bills,[33] theCleveland Browns[34] andPhiladelphia Eagles.[35] After a seven-hour meeting with the Browns followed by a nine-hour meeting with the Eagles, ESPN'sAdam Schefter reported that Kelly initially decided to remain at Oregon.[36] A week later, Kelly accepted the offer from Philadelphia and became head coach of the Eagles.[37][38]
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Kelly agreed to terms with the Philadelphia Eagles to become the team's head coach on January 16, 2013.[39] Although general managerHowie Roseman ran the team's drafts and free agency signings in his first two seasons with the team, Kelly had the final say over the 53-man roster.[40][41] His predecessor,Andy Reid, also had the title and/or powers of general manager for most of his tenure.
In his first season, Kelly reversed the Eagles' fortunes of the previous year. Taking over a team that went 4–12 in 2012, Reid's last year, Kelly led the Eagles to a 10–6 record and the NFC East Division title, becoming just the second head coach in league history to win a division title in his first season in the NFL.[42] They narrowly lost to theNew Orleans Saints 26–24 in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
In his second season in Philadelphia, Kelly finished with an identical 10–6 record, despite key injuries to players like quarterbackNick Foles and linebackerDeMeco Ryans. However, unlike the previous season, the Eagles failed to make the playoffs in 2014.
On January 2, 2015, Eagles ownerJeffrey Lurie announced that Kelly would assume control of the 90-man roster (including authority over the draft and free agency), while Roseman would be "elevated" to the role of Executive Vice President of Football Operations, remaining in control of the salary cap and contracts.[43] Soon afterward, the Eagles traded All-Pro running backLeSean McCoy to theBuffalo Bills for linebackerKiko Alonso (who was a former Oregon Duck under Kelly) and Pro Bowl quarterbackNick Foles to theSt. Louis Rams for quarterbackSam Bradford on March 10, 2015, under Kelly's request. Both trades were met with overwhelmingly negative reception from Eagles fans.[44][45] He also signed former Cowboys running back and reigning rushing championDeMarco Murray.[46] Kelly also was criticized by current and former players and coaches for treating White and Black players differently, and for being a control freak who sees his players "as a commodity."[47]
On December 29, 2015, with the Eagles at 6–9, Kelly was fired before the final regular season game, in a statement made by Lurie.[48][49] It was quickly speculated that Kelly would be a candidate for several NFL head coach openings, and on January 7, it was reported that Kelly had met with theSan Francisco 49ers about their head coaching position.[50]
On January 14, 2016, Kelly was hired by theSan Francisco 49ers as head coach.[51][52] He entered the 2016 season as the 49ers' third coach in three seasons, followingJim Harbaugh andJim Tomsula. In Kelly's first game with the 49ers, they defeated theLos Angeles Rams atLevi's Stadium during a 28–0 shutout victory.[53] It was the first Week 1 shutout since 2009, when theSeattle Seahawks coincidentally shutout the Rams.[54] However, the 49ers then went on a 13-game losing streak,[55] with many speculations opening up about trouble between Kelly and general managerTrent Baalke by April 2016.[56] In late November, there were also many rumors that Kelly would return to coach the Oregon Ducks after the Ducks finished the season with a 4–8 record,[57] the team's first losing season since 2004, resulting in the firing of Ducks football coachMark Helfrich. Those rumors ceased after the Ducks hired formerSouth Florida Bulls coachWillie Taggart on December 7.
The 49ers finally got their second win of the season on December 24 in a narrow 22–21 road victory over the Rams, then lost their final game of the season on January 1, 2017, at home against the Seahawks.[58] Following the narrow 25–23 loss to the Seahawks and having posted a 2–14 record for the season, Kelly and Baalke were both fired by the 49ers.[59][60][61]
On May 26, 2017, Kelly was hired by ESPN as a studio analyst for college football.[62]
On November 25, 2017, Kelly was hired as the head football coach atUCLA.[63] He had also interviewed for theFlorida head coach position. In Kelly's first season in2018, the Bruins began the year 0–5 for the first time since1943.[64] However, they later defeatedUSC to snap a three-game losing streak againsttheir crosstown rivals.[65] UCLA finished the season with a 3–9 record, their worst since going 2–7–1 in1971.[66] Their average home attendance of 51,164 was the school's smallest since averaging 49,825 in1999.[67][68]
Thenext season, the Bruins started 0–3, with losses toCincinnati,San Diego State, and No. 5Oklahoma, all by multiple scores. Under Kelly, the Bruins started 0–3 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since1920–1921. The 0–3 start to the 2019 season gave Kelly the worst 15-game start as a UCLA football coach sinceHarry Trotter.[citation needed] However, when the Bruins played No. 19Washington State the following week, they erased a 49–17 deficit and won 67–63. The 32-point comeback was the third-largest inFBS history.[69]
Two weeks after the win over Washington State, the Bruins lost at home toOregon State by a score of 48–31. This was only the Beavers' third road win over a Pac-12 opponent since 2014, and their largest road win over a Pac-12 opponent since their 49–17 win atCalifornia in 2013.[citation needed] The loss dropped the Bruins to a 1–5 record for the second consecutive year.
After an open date, the Bruins traveled toStanford and defeated the Cardinal 34–16. UCLA got its first win over Stanford since2008, snapping an 11-game losing streak against the Cardinal. The Bruins held the Cardinal to 198 total yards and just 55 rushing yards in the victory.
Following the Stanford victory, the 2019 Bruins defeatedArizona State 42–32 at the Rose Bowl. The Bruins led 42–10 heading into the fourth quarter. The Sun Devils were ranked No. 24 in the AP Poll at the time, and they were favored over the Bruins by three points at kickoff. UCLA then defeatedColorado 31–14 the next week, also at the Rose Bowl. The wins over Stanford, Arizona State, and Colorado gave the Bruins their first three-game winning streak since2015.[citation needed]
After three straight losing seasons, UCLA was 8–4 in2021.[70] In2022, they began the season 5–0 for the first time since2013,[71] and finished 9–4 (6–3 in the Pac-12) with a 37–35 loss toPittsburgh inthe Sun Bowl on a last-second field goal by the Panthers. The Bruins were ranked No. 21 in the final polls. After the season, Kelly signed a two-year contract extension that runs through 2027.[72] In 2022, he was paid $5.77 million by UCLA for his role as head coach.[73] The Bruins were 8–5 in2023, winning theLA Bowl overBoise State for the program's first bowl win since2015. It was the Bruins' third consecutive eight-win season, the second such streak in the program since1988 under coachTerry Donahue.[74]
On February 9, 2024, Kelly left UCLA after six seasons to become the offensive coordinator for theOhio State Buckeyes. He was 35–34 at UCLA with one bowl victory;[75] they were bowl-eligible only three times.[70] Under Kelly, the Bruins averaged their four worst season home attendance numbers since moving to the Rose Bowl in1982,[76] including the 47,591 in his final season, which was also his second best figure at UCLA, behind his first season in 2018.[77] He had reportedly been interviewing for coordinator positions in the NFL.[75][78] His departure came after other schools had already filled their coaching vacancies,[70] and shortly before UCLA's start of spring practice, with the school's move to theBig Ten Conference approaching.[75]
Kelly replacedBill O'Brien as offensive coordinator, after O'Brien left Ohio State to be head coach forBoston College. The move reunited Kelly andRyan Day, who had served under Kelly at New Hampshire, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.[78] Kelly helped lead Ohio State to winning a National Championship.[79] Kelly's Buckeye offense faced four of College Football's top teams and defeated Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame en route to the school's ninth National Championship.[80]
On February 4, 2025, theLas Vegas Raiders hired Kelly as their offensive coordinator under new head coachPete Carroll.[81]
Following a 2–9 start to the season, Kelly was fired on November 23, 2025.[82][83]
Kelly is reluctant to discuss his life outside of football. He lives inLos Angeles, California,[84] but has a small, tight-knit group of friends inManchester, New Hampshire, who never speak about him to reporters.[85] ESPN blogger Ted Miller describes Kelly as being "funny, biting, pithy, strange, fiery and surprising when talking to reporters."[86]
Kelly was married to Jennifer Jenkins from 1992 to 1999.[87][88]
In 2009, Kelly responded to a season ticket holder's letter demanding a refund for his expenses after traveling to see Oregon's 19–8 loss toBoise State. That loss ended with Ducks running backLeGarrette Blount responding to a Bronco player's taunts by punching him in the face. Kelly replied to the man with a personal check written out for his travel costs (exactly $439); in response, the fan wrote him a thank you note returning the original uncashed check.[89]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Ducks(Pac-10/Pac-12 Conference)(2009–2012) | |||||||||
| 2009 | Oregon | 10–3 | 8–1 | 1st | LRose† | 11 | 11 | ||
| 2010 | Oregon | 12–1 | 9–0 | 1st | LBCS NCG† | 3 | 3 | ||
| 2011 | Oregon | 12–2 | 8–1 | T–1st (North) | WRose† | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2012 | Oregon | 12–1 | 8–1 | T–1st (North) | WFiesta† | 2 | 2 | ||
| Oregon: | 46–7 | 33–3 | |||||||
| UCLA Bruins(Pac-12 Conference)(2018–2023) | |||||||||
| 2018 | UCLA | 3–9 | 3–6 | 5th(South) | |||||
| 2019 | UCLA | 4–8 | 4–5 | T–3rd(South) | |||||
| 2020 | UCLA | 3–4 | 3–4 | 5th(South) | |||||
| 2021 | UCLA | 8–4 | 6–3 | T–2nd(South) | NCHoliday | ||||
| 2022 | UCLA | 9–4 | 6–3 | T–5th | LSun | 21 | 21 | ||
| 2023 | UCLA | 8–5 | 4–5 | T–7th | WLA | ||||
| UCLA: | 35–34 | 26–26 | |||||||
| Total: | 81–41 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| PHI | 2013 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 1st in NFC East | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost toNew Orleans Saints inNFC Wild Card Game |
| PHI | 2014 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2nd in NFC East | — | — | — | — |
| PHI | 2015 | 6 | 9 | 0 | .400 | Fired | — | — | — | — |
| PHI Total | 26 | 21 | 0 | .553 | 0 | 1 | .000 | |||
| SF | 2016 | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 4th in NFC West | — | — | — | — |
| SF Total | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |||
| Total | 28 | 35 | 0 | .452 | 0 | 1 | .000 | |||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
