Kelly just completed his second season with the Titans and his 10th season coaching in the NFL. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2023 after serving as passing game coordinator in 2022. Prior to arriving in Tennessee, he spent eight seasons with the Houston Texans, including three campaigns as their offensive coordinator.
In 2022, Kelly's duties included work with the Titans' tight ends, putting together the first- and second-down passing game, and helping with the offensive plan in the red zone. The team's tight ends collectively ranked seventh in the NFL at their position with 952 receiving yards, including 450 yards by fourth-round draft pick Chig Okonkwo, who established a new franchise record for rookie tight ends and led all NFL rookie tight ends in 2022.
On first and second down, the Titans offense averaged 7.6 passing yards per attempt, which tied for the sixth-best mark in the league, and in the red zone, their touchdown rate of 64.3 percent ranked sixth.
Kelly joined the Texans in 2014 as an offensive quality control coach and added assistant offensive line duties in 2016. He served as tight ends coach from 2017 to 2018, and in 2019, he was promoted to offensive coordinator, a title he held through 2021 while also coaching quarterbacks in 2020.
During his time in Houston, the Texans won the AFC South title on four occasions (2015-16, 2018-19).
In 2021, third-round rookie quarterback Davis Mills appeared in 13 games with 11 starts for the Texans. He set a franchise rookie record with 2,664 passing yards, completing 263 of 394 attempts (66.8 pct.) for 16 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and an 88.8 passer rating. Mills led the NFL with a 116.8 passer rating in the red zone. Additionally, veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks recorded a career-high 90 receptions for 1,037 yards and six touchdowns.
In 2020, the Texans offense led the NFL in yards per reception (12.6) and yards per play (6.4), while quarterback Deshaun Watson led the NFL and set the franchise's single-season record with 4,823 passing yards. Watson also ranked first in yards per attempt (8.9), second in passer rating (112.4), and third in completion percentage (70.2).
In Kelly's first season as offensive coordinator in 2019, the Texans put together a 10-6 regular season and captured the AFC South title. Houston added several pieces that Kelly worked into the offense, including tackle Laremy Tunsil, wide receiver Kenny Stills, and running backs Duke Johnson and Carlos Hyde. Tunsil was named to his first career Pro Bowl, while Hyde put together the first 1,000-yard season of his six-year career.
The Texans had three Pro Bowl selections on offense: Tunsil, Watson, and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Houston finished the season with a 3,500-yard passer (Watson), a 1,000-yard rusher (Hyde), and a 1,000-yard receiver (Hopkins) for the first time since 2012. The Texans tied the team record for most overall touchdowns scored (46) in a single season and set franchise records for highest red-zone touchdown percentage (64.2) and fewest three-and-outs (24).
In 2018, the Texans captured an AFC South title with an 11-5 record, which marked the second-most wins in a season in franchise history and the first season with double-digit wins since 2012. Under Kelly, rookie tight end Jordan Thomas posted 20 receptions for 215 yards (10.8 avg.) and four touchdowns in 16 games (10 starts), matching Andre Johnson for the second-most touchdown receptions by a rookie in franchise history.
Before his NFL coaching career, Kelly was at Penn State (2012-13), where he served as a graduate assistant after having held the same position at Ball State in 2011.
Before he went to Ball State, Kelly was the defensive coordinator, defensive line coach, and recruiting coordinator at Minnesota State-Moorhead for the 2010 season.
Kelly spent the 2008-09 seasons at Illinois-Wesleyan, where he was the defensive line coach for the 2009 CCIW Championship team that ranked ninth among all defenses at the NCAA Division-III level. He also coached two first-team all-conference selections.
Kelly played defensive tackle at Eastern Illinois, starting all 48 games in his collegiate career, and serving as the team's captain in 2007. He was named to the Capital One Academic All-District V Team in 2006 and 2007.
A native of Chicago Heights, Ill., Kelly starred at Marian Catholic High School, where he is a member of the East Suburban Catholic Conference Hall of Fame. He received his bachelor's degree in sports administration from Eastern Illinois in 2008 and his master's degree in sport management from Illinois State in 2010.
His brother, Dennis, is an NFL offensive lineman who spent five seasons with the Titans.
Kelly and his wife, Katie, have two daughters, Norah and Quinn.
Tim Kelly's Coaching Timeline:
2024-Current: Tight Ends Coach, New York Giants
2023: Offensive Coordinator, Tennessee Titans
2022: Passing Game Coordinator, Tennessee Titans
2021: Offensive Coordinator, Houston Texans
2020: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks, Houston Texans
2019: Offensive Coordinator, Houston Texans
2017-18: Tight Ends, Houston Texans
2016: Offensive Quality Control/Asst. Offensive Line, Houston Texans
2014-15: Offensive Quality Control, Houston Texans
2012-13: Graduate Assistant, Penn State
2011: Graduate Assistant, Ball State
2010: Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line, Minnesota State–Moorhead
2008-09: Defensive Graduate Assistant, Illinois Wesleyan
