Chip Kelly’s 2022 status revealed after Oregon passes

As enticing as the prospect of Chip Kelly’s return to Oregon would have been, the Ducks went in a different direction. That leaves Kelly to make a decision on his own future.

Reports Friday indicated that Oregon would hire Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning as its new head coach, with further confirmation coming Saturday. That put an end to all serious talk about Kelly returning to Eugene, but leaves a bit of uncertainty about his status as he enters the final year of his contract.

Kelly is expected to return to UCLA in 2022, according to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times, unless one of two scenarios comes to pass. One is that Kelly and UCLA fail to agree to an extension, which could lead to bad blood. The other is if Kelly gets an opportunity to coach again in the NFL.

Kelly did not sound particularly eager to leave UCLA even when he was being floated as a candidate at Oregon. NFL interest seems unlikely, and if UCLA is eager to keep Kelly, it sounds like it should be pretty straightforward.

Photo: Jul 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Chip Kelly during Pac-12 football media day at Hollywood & Highland. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports