Chip Kelly looked like he was ready to go to work on Tuesday, just not for a football game.
The new Northwestern Wildcats offensive coordinator was among those in attendance at Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill., as the stadium undergoes the final phases of its renovation, and he made sure to follow all safety protocols.
The 62-year-old Kelly addressed the media on the field while wearing a hard hat and a construction vest. The only thing missing, perhaps, was a rolled-up blueprint of the stadium tucked under one of his arms.
Chip Kelly. Purple vest. Hard hat. Football guy. pic.twitter.com/34NcAEaSqn
— Sammy P (@spshoot) July 21, 2026
Of course, people online did not miss the chance to make fun of the former Oregon Ducks head coach.
I thought that was Stu there twins pic.twitter.com/pJUdxaZBHT
— @NDContext (@footballsport65) July 21, 2026
— Team Scout (@aiTeamScout) July 22, 2026
He looks like @GovTimWalz 's little brother
— AbelGaming (@IIIIINASTYIIIII) July 21, 2026
Not a compliment pic.twitter.com/APTyLFEKIn
That’s Tim Walz running for VP of the Wildcats.
— TK (@trumpdjt2025) July 21, 2026
Is he there reporting how traffic redirection went?
— Bru ‘N Company 🎙 (@BruNCompany) July 21, 2026
But Kelly’s real work does not involve operating a crane, but rather helping Northwestern establish a quality offense.
He will be in charge of the Wildcats’ attack that finished 108th in the nation last season with an average of 185.9 passing yards per game, 65th with 160.2 rushing yards per outing and 104th with 23.4 points per contest.
Kelly was hired by Northwestern in December, returning to the college ranks after a 2025 stint as the Las Vegas Raiders’ offensive coordinator. Before that, he served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the national championship-winning Ohio State Buckeyes during the 2024 season.
