Source: YouTube/Stadium
Former Oregon coach Chip Kelly is making a return to college football, as he has been named the next head coach at UCLA, all the while being considered for a similar job in Florida. Set to be formally introduced as the Bruins’ head coach this Monday, Kelly will be taking the place of Jim Mora, who had been fired earlier in November after the school’s third straight loss after being with the Bruins for six seasons. Kelly is also taking the position from offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, who held the position of head coach in the interim.
Chip Kelly’s net worth: $23.3 million
With his new position for UCLA, Kelly agreed to a five-year contract said to be worth $23.3 million with a $9 million reciprocal buyout. Since you don’t get to sign such a pricy contract without a few tricks under your belt, let’s take a look at Kelly’s life to see how he came to this position.
The Early Years
A native of New Hampshire, Kelly started on the other side of college football, playing as a quarterback and a defensive back while in high school and while attending the University of New Hampshire. His first role in coaching came at Columbia University in 1990, where he served as the secondary and special teams coach for the freshman team.
2007-2012
In 2007, Kelly was hired as the offensive coordinator for the Oregon Ducks; he would eventually rise to the position of head coach two years later. In this position, he won many titles, such as both the 2009 and 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year.
2013-2015
In early 2013, Kelly became the head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. While initially helping the team to turn the tide from the previous year, at a 10-6 record, the team lost in the first round of playoffs and failed to make playoffs the following year. The year after that, however, saw Kelly rise to the position of head of football operations. His role with the Eagles was eventually terminated in late 2015.
2016-Present
After leaving the Eagles, Kelly was quickly hired to become the new head coach for the San Francisco 49ers. While he was eventually fired after the team’s loss to the Seahawks, before the year was out, he eventually hired to be the head football coach at UCLA.
As UCLA Director of Athletics Dan Guerrero said in a statement:
I am thrilled to welcome Chip Kelly to Westwood…His success speaks for itself, but more than that, I firmly believe that his passion for the game and his innovative approach to coaching student-athletes make him the perfect fit for our program. ‘Champions Made Here’ is more than just a mantra at UCLA, and I’m confident that Chip will lead UCLA Football back to competing for championships. I’d like to thank Josh Rebholz, Casey Wasserman and Troy Aikman for their input during this process, as their candor, experience and support were invaluable.
According to ESPN, Kelly proclaimed how:
It is an absolute honor to join the Bruin Family, and I am grateful to Chancellor (Gene) Block and to Dan Guerrero for this incredible opportunity. UCLA is a world-class institution with a distinguished history in athletics, and we will do our part to uphold its tradition of excellence.
