The Las Vegas Raiders entered the 2025 NFL season with the expectation that their new-look offense would be the team's strength. After all, Las Vegas invested heavily in the unit during the offseason.
They made Chip Kelly the highest-paid coordinator in NFL history, traded for Geno Smith, and used five of their first six picks on the offensive side of the ball. Four of those offensive picks came on the first two days of the draft, including sixth overall pick Ashton Jeanty.
Despite what many believed to be major upgrades, the offense has been even worse than the abysmal unit the organization put on the field in 2024. The Raiders are averaging just 15.4 points per game this year, the second-fewest in the entire league, while ranking 30th in total yards.
There has been plenty of blame to go around, and rightfully so, but most of the finger-pointing has been directed at Kelly and Smith. Given Smith's relationship with Pete Carroll, however, Kelly is the one more likely to go.
Analysts hint that the Raiders will choose between Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly
Last Friday, on the heels of the Raiders' 10-7 loss to the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested that the pairing of Carroll and Kelly is unsustainable past this season.
"I feel like it's not sustainable between the two of them, and, frankly, between the two, all due respect to Chip Kelly, I'm keeping Pete Carroll. Pete Carroll has accomplished things in the NFL. Chip Kelly has accomplished nothing," Florio said. "I was surprised they hired him. And, again, was it a Brady hire? Was it a Brady recommendation? I don't know, but I feel like when this season ends, one of those two guys is going to be gone between Carroll and Kelly, and my guess is it is going to be Kelly."
Former Raiders offensive lineman Lincoln Kennedy also made a similar prediction on a recent episode of the Locked on Raiders Squad Show.
"The way these things sort of fall out is that I don't see Pete Carroll going anywhere for another year, at least," Kennedy said. "And it's probably going to have to happen to Chip Kelly."
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Kennedy noted that Las Vegas' offense has struggled with simple things, while maintaining his claim that the organization needs to prioritize rebuilding its offensive line. As far as the dynamic between Carroll and Kelly, it seems that the former is more than willing to throw the latter under the bus.
He has appeared to do so on multiple occasions this season, and that was the case once again following Thursday's loss to the Broncos. It is no surprise that Carroll is not happy with the play of the offense, as it has been, arguably, the most underwhelming unit in the entire league this season.
It is unclear if there is any truth to the suggestion that Kelly was recommended by Tom Brady; however, that suggestion has been thrown around multiple times this offseason. If the offensive coordinator was not Carroll's selection, it makes it even more likely that he won't be back in 2026.
While there are still eight games to play, as things stand, fans should expect additional changes to the coaching staff in the offseason. Carroll already fired special teams coordinator Tom McMahon, and won't fire his son, the offensive line coach, so Kelly might be the first on the chopping block.