“Word is circulating among Kentucky players that Kelly could be the team’s next head coach. That doesn’t mean he will be. It doesn’t even mean he’s an official candidate. It means only that Kentucky players have somehow developed the impression that Kelly could be the new coach,” writes Florio.
The Raiders parted ways with Kelly last week and Kentucky opted to fire Mark Stoops on Sunday.
Kelly was the head coach at UCLA from 2018 through 2023 before he stepped down to be the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, so it would be interesting to see Kelly return to coaching at the college level just two years after walking away from the UCLA job.
Kelly, 62, was hired by the Eagles back in 2013 as their head coach following an outstanding four-year run at Oregon. He lasted just under three years in Philadelphia before he was fired during the 2015 season.
The 49ers hired him as their head coach soon after but he spent just one season in San Francisco before he was fired. He returned to the college ranks as the head coach at UCLA.
During his NFL coaching career, Kelly produced a record of 28-35 (44.4 percent) as an NFL head coach for Philadelphia and San Francisco, including one playoff appearance while he was with the Eagles.
As a college coach, Kelly amassed a 46-7 record in four years at Oregon with an appearance in the BCS championship and a 35-34 record in six years at UCLA.
Kelly left UCLA to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, where he won the National Championship. The Raiders hired Kelly this past February as their offensive coordinator.
In 2025 under Kelly, the Raiders ranked No. 30 in total offense and No. 31 in scoring, as well as No. 31 in rushing and No. 25 in passing.
