The Jacksonville Jaguars checked off a massive box when they hired Liam Coen as their next head coach. However, they still have many things left to do this offseason.
Next, the Jags will need to conduct a search to find a general manager after ousting Trent Baalke. For the time being, Ethan Waugh is serving as the interim. Meanwhile, Coen will have to assemble his staff before he can work with the front office to evaluate the roster.
As of this writing, there are several names floating to join Coen's staff, but one that's stood out is former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly.
Just hours after Jacksonville hired Coen, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports mentioned Kelly as "a name to keep an eye on" to be part of the coaching staff. The tweet was deleted. It's uncertain why, but the possibility of bringing in a coach with ample experience at both the collegiate and NFL levels shouldn't be ruled out.
Hiring Kelly would be especially helpful when you take into account that this is Coen's first rodeo and could benefit from having a staff that has experience.
What's the fuzz about Chip Kelly?
Chip Kelly got the spotlight when he was the head coach at Oregon in the late 2000s and early 2010s. At the time, his up-tempo offense was the talk of the town, and when the Philadelphia Eagles moved on from Andy Reid in 2013, they hired him as his replacement.
Kelly had success right off the bat, taking Philly to the playoffs in his first season at the helm. His approach to sports science — rarely discussed at the time — and his emphasis on culture caught the eye of the league. Unfortunately, his success wasn't sustainable.
The Eagles failed to make the playoffs in 2014, and Kelly was given the boot after going 6-9 the following year. One of the big reasons for his regression was that he routinely moved on from key contributors — Jeremy Maclin, Desean Jackson, and LeSean McCoy — but was unable to replace them. Moreover, he alienated several players along the way.
Surprisingly, Kelly got another chance in the NFL, this time with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. However, things were more or less the same, as he went 2-14 and was fired from the job for the second time in as many seasons.
Following his unsuccessful stint in the NFL, Kelly returned to the collegiate ranks as the head coach of UCLA in 2018. Unfortunately, he once again failed to steer the ship in the right direction and left in 2024 to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.
Why would Liam Coen want Chip Kelly to be part of his staff with the Jaguars?
Liam Coen called plays with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2024 and will continue to do the same as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. That should quell concerns about Chip Kelly potentially joining his staff.
Kelly's up-tempo offense took the NFL by storm in 2013 but the luster faded when opposing teams learned to counter them. He didn't adapt and that cost him his job. Furthermore, he hasn't been able to recreate the success he had at Oregon. You could make the case that these are his two biggest red flags.
Having said that, Kelly wouldn't be running his offense in Jacksonville, and he wouldn't have control over the roster. Instead, Coen will probably bring him in to help him with team management and teach his system. That may not be a bad role to have.
On the other hand, it's not a given that Kelly will join Coen. Since Jonathan Jones' original report, there hasn't been more news about the potential move. Still, it would be interesting to see the Jaguars give him a shot at redemption and how he would fare in his new role.