NFL Rumors: UCLA's Chip Kelly Potential Commanders OC Candidate After Raiders Buzz

After the hiring of Dan Quinn as their next head coach, the Washington Commanders are reportedly eyeing a former NFL head coach to be his offensive coordinator.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, UCLA head coach Chip Kelly is a candidate for Washington's offensive coordinator opening. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Kelly interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders "at least twice" before they hired Kliff Kingsbury as their next OC on Thursday.

Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported on Jan. 20 that Kelly was "mentioned as a possible offensive coordinator by multiple head coaching candidates this cycle." Landing with a defensive-minded head coach like Quinn could be an ideal pairing for him if Washington chooses to hire him.

Kelly has coached at UCLA since 2018, though the team has struggled to find consistency during his tenure. After finishing with an 8-5 record in 2023, Kelly's record with the Bruins is 35-34. It's a far cry from his success as head coach of Oregon from 2009 to 2012 when he led the team to a 46-7 record over that span.

Kelly's performance with the Ducks earned him his first NFL head coaching job in 2013 with the Philadelphia Eagles. He coached the team to an NFC East title in his first season, but he was fired before the final regular-season game of his third season. He landed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 but was fired after coaching the team to a 2-14 record.

Washington is hoping to find the right staff under Quinn that will help the team bounce back from a 4-13 finish to the 2023 season. With the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, the Commanders will have their shot at one of the top quarterback prospects in this year's class, so it's imperative to have the right offensive coaches in place to help develop that player into a franchise QB.