The Las Vegas Raiders had several major issues to begin the year, not the least of which was cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly. After a quiet offseason, he had a meteoric rise in the preseason and ascended to being a full-time starter for the first seven weeks of the 2025 NFL season.
But his results on the field left plenty to be desired. Kelly gave up 25 catches for 399 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Raiders' seven contests before the bye week, and had just one game where he gave up an opposing passer rating of less than 92.4.
This led to much of the fan base, ourselves included, clamoring for rookie Darien Porter to supplant Kelly as the starter. However, in Week 10 against the Denver Broncos, Kelly had a breakout game, and it cannot be overestimated what a watershed moment this was for the young player.
Kyu Blu Kelly just changed his future with Raiders after turning the corner vs. Broncos
First of all, head coach Pete Carroll finally did the right thing by rotating these two young players. Previously, he had chosen just one of them to start opposite Eric Stokes, and that player was tasked with playing every snap of the game. But last Thursday, Kelly played 35 snaps, and Porter played 26.
Kelly took full advantage of these reps after playing zero snaps in Week 9 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He recorded two interceptions off of Broncos quarterback Bo Nix in the primetime matchup and made one tackle while giving up just one catch for 14 yards.
Of course, when asked about this tremendous showing, Kelly was quick to give praise to those around him. He shouted out defensive coordinator Patrick Graham for the scheme, and defensive linemen Tyree Wilson and Jonah Laulu for making life easier for him, all before taking any credit.
On Monday, however, Carroll spoke with reporters during his media availability. The veteran head coach was very quick to shed positive light on Kelly's performance in Denver last Thursday, saying the young player took full advantage of his opportunity.
"He played a really good, fundamental game, which he does a lot. He really understands the principles of staying on top and working his technique. He's a really good tackler, and he's got very good hand-eye coordination, and he showed it on that (interception). (It) was a heck of a catch to make under those circumstances, and (it) changed the situation in the game drastically. Even the next (interception), the tip that he grabbed, he very aggressively went after that ball and snatched it out of the air. (He's) just showing that he's comfortable playing the position. I was really happy with both those guys that played the right corner spot. Corners have been playing pretty good football, and Kyu took advantage of his opportunities really well."
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Perhaps the fan base was a bit too harsh on Kelly, who is still just 24 years old and playing his third NFL season. Before Week 1's matchup with the New England Patriots, he had played in just 12 NFL games for a total of 32 defensive snaps.
Just as Porter needs to learn on the job, Kelly still does too. Not only was he a fifth-round draft pick only two years ago, but he comes from an NFL bloodline. His father, Brian Kelly, was the NFL interceptions co-leader in 2002 and won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Carroll, obviously, still recognizes the promise that Kelly has. In a sitdown interview with JT The Brick on Tuesday, the 74-year-old coach talked about Kelly's performance, as well as what it means for his future in Las Vegas.
"Kyu has really made a big impression. That is why we started him early. He kind of came out of nowhere. ... What stood out to us was his playmaking ability. As you saw in this game, he has great hands and the mentality of a player who attacks the football and makes plays. He has that instinct. He has tackled really well and been physical. He has been vulnerable to a couple of big plays that have affected the start of his career. This is his first year as a starter, but in this game, you saw him make a tremendous catch on the deep ball for the interception, and then snatch the tipped ball with total command of the moment," Carroll said. "His physicality and awareness really showed. He has been splitting time with Darien the last few games, and it is great for Darien to get started, too. He has played well. Both of those guys are doing fine. It really bodes well for the future. They are both big, athletic players who can run well. They are smart, dependable, dedicated, and disciplined. And with Stokes playing so well on the other side, it's given us a real future of cornerback play that we can look forward to."
In just one game, it seems like everything has changed for Kelly. No longer is he on the chopping block or viewed as unplayable. Now, the Las Vegas native is looked at as a long-term piece for the franchise, and if he keeps playing like he did against the Broncos, that is absolutely a good thing.