Kelly was at the top of the college football world at Ohio State, leading one of the best offenses in the country to a national title. Even after the successful year, the Raiders job was too tempting to pass up.

"Obviously, this is the highest league of football. The competition is at an all-time high," Kelly said. "It's that competition that drives you. And then talking with (general manager) John Spytek and (owner) Mark Davis and just where everybody is aligned in this organization and then getting a chance to talk to (minority owner) Tom Brady about what he feels he can help Pete and Mark with. I was just excited about that alignment of everybody."