A last name ties you to your ancestry and family. And people look for connections because they share a last name. It’s quite natural! The problem is that occasionally they are able to connect, and other times they are not. Because having the same last name does not guarantee that they are related. And we believe that the second scenario is suitable for the two famous football coaches, Brian Kelly and Chip Kelly. The issue remains: are these coaches related in any way?

Despite having the same last name and somewhat similar upbringings, Chip Kelly and Brian Kelly are not related. Even though they are only two years apart and share a similar appearance, the two coaches cannot be considered siblings. They both advanced to the national title game but lost to an SEC team. Chip is from New Hampshire, while Kelly is from Massachusetts; both are from New England. Currently, Brian Kelly is the head coach LSU tigers, where Chip Kelly is the offensive coordinator of OSU. However, there are also similarities.

At one point in their careers, each of them made incredible coaching decisions. In early 2013, it was reported that Chip Kelly would remain in Oregon, but he changed his mind and left for the Philadelphia Eagles. On the strength of his achievement, he entered the NFL and was head coach of the Eagles from 2013 to 2015. But after losing his position, he transferred to the San Francisco 49ers, where he stayed for just the 2016 season before losing his job again. After his NFL journey, he returned to collegiate football in 2018 as the UCLA Bruins’ coach. However, Chip Kelly first gained notoriety as the coach who led the Ducks to 4 straight BCS bowl game appearances.

And after 12 years at Notre Dame, Brian Kelly unexpectedly accepted the head coaching position at LSU in late 2021. The LSU Tigers have had Brian Kelly as their head coach since the 2022 CFB season. Before that, from 1991 to 2003, he served as the football program’s head coach at Grand Valley State University. Additionally, he spent 2004–2006 at Central Michigan, 2006–2009 at Cincinnati, and 2010–2021 at Notre Dame.

Currently, it remains unclear if their unbelievable coaching choice paid off. After those decisions, they either won or lost!

Brian Kelly and Chip Kelly: Winner or Loser?

The OC for OSU, Chip Kelly, undoubtedly has no regrets about leaving his position as coach of UCLA to join the Buckeyes last winter. Kelly has produced two incredible jewels following what we believe to be the worst play-calling performance of his career, that defeat to Michigan. He was outstanding Friday night as well as in the Rose Bowl, as he tore up Oregon’s defense. At the end of the first half, the screen pass was really outstanding.

So, as per the current scenario, we can say, Chip Kelly is a winner. However, what about Brian Kelly? Is he also a winner? Three years after being the most successful coach in Notre Dame history, Brain Kelly took the position at LSU. See, the title is just now one step away for his old team. “I want to be in an environment where I have the resources to win a national championship,” Kelly said when he left South Bend. What a mess!

And his own team stands at 9-4 this year. Given that, we can say, Brian Kelly is a loser. But a person’s whole destiny cannot be determined by a single season. We will have to wait and see what the coach can do for LSU in 2025.