Exclusive: One-on-One with Raiders Acting GM Champ Kelly, the interim general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders, granted us an exclusive interview as they continue to pursue the NFL playoffs.
Kelly is praised throughout the NFL as a young man who will have a big effect on some NFL team. However, the league’s general consensus is that the question is not if Kelly will land a permanent general manager position, but rather when.I spoke with Kelly in an NFL press box early in the 2023 season, expressing my wish to reveal more about the Raiders’ assistant general manager and give Raider Nation and NFL fans a chance to get to know him.
We decided on the bye week, which is months ahead of schedule for the NFL, and he agreed to an interview. We had no idea what lay ahead for the Raiders, and we had no idea that he would be the team’s acting general manager by the time this interview rolled around. Kelly conducted the interview on Friday morning following the Raiders’ lopsided 63โ21 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
I wanted the interview to be about Kelly and his personality, but neither he nor the Raiders instructed me what questions I could or could not ask. Our extensive questions and answers are below.HC: Whenever someone discusses Champ Kelly, they eventually express their respect for you as a man of faith and a family man. To what extent have those two elements molded and sustained you?
Kelly: “I think I would define it as family first, then faith. Over the years, I’ve been asked, “Who is your coaching tree?” by many people.I tell them that Mary Sorey, my grandmother, is the first person on my coaching tree. She brought me up as a man who reveres God. She instilled in me the values of honesty, integrity, and toughness. She taught me to put God first in everything and to study the Bible. “I love you, keep God first,” she would always say at the end of our phone calls. I strive to live up to that ideal because that is what I have been asked to do.
HC: Since you were a multi-position player at the University of Kentucky, how important is position versatility to you as a talent assessor when a player isn’t a clear standout at a position, like DE Maxx Crosby and WR Davante Adams?
Kelly: “I was probably too good to play just one position, so I played a lot of positions.” I was fortunate enough to possess sufficient brains and smarts to be a player a coach could trust to pick up any position quickly. As a result, I was switched about on the ball depending on what the squad needed. Being unselfish is therefore vital to me.
You inquired about versatility, and in my opinion, that is crucial. I look for a few things in a player: physicality, positivity, production, passion, and professionalism. Alongside such components, versatility is essential. It might be a sign of intelligence, dependability, and selflessness. You can make the most of your game-day squad if you have a player that can play several positions. Here’s where adaptability comes into play.
HC: Your passion for football is another topic of conversation with others. How was that planted, and what age did you realize you loved the sport?
Kelly: “They give you a football and a pacifier when you are born in North Florida.” My uncles were all football players, and my grandparents reared me. Growing up, my uncle Jacob served as my role model. I got to see him perform with players like as Neal Anderson. On Friday nights, I would be playing pick-up football games with the other kids behind the bleachers as they played football on the field.
“This game teaches you characteristics like discipline, toughness, and teamwork that are unmatched. It takes a special kind of dependability from your teammates to accomplish a shared objective. It’s great how unselfish it is to perform your job so that someone else can take the spotlight. It builds character to have to go in week after week with the humility that comes with knowing that sometimes things will work out well for you and other times they won’t. You start over at the beginning and persevere in your struggle for it.
“My high school coach once told me that I could never give back to football more than it would receive from me. I have a computer science degree from college and a business master’s degree because to this game. Through this football game, I met my wife in college and some of my closest friends worldwide. My three daughters and my wife, Stephanie, are now taken care of by this game. For everything this game means to my family and me, I will always be thankful and indebted. As a result, I will always represent everything that a Raider stands for, serve as the game’s spokesman, and guard the shield.
HC: You were a professional football player in the UIF, not the NFL. Finding the greatest players and then being able to acquire them is no longer the only responsibility of a general manager. To what extent do non-NFL professional football leagues and minor colleges contribute to the construction of the finest 53-man rosters?
Kelly: “I participated in a few leagues that were semi-professional. I was a full-court football player with the Lexington Horsemen. Playing the game with my Horsemen teammates and coaches has been some of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had. To be honest, I had the honor of playing alongside and against some of the most gifted athletes I have ever seen.
“If an athlete is participating in the Arena League or any of these other professional leagues, I will never pass them by. Our professional scouts are tasked with keeping an eye on every league and every player within it. It is critical that we understand the locations of talent. It doesnโt matter how a player acquires these qualities as long as they have the brains, talents, and character that we are searching for.
HC: Each general manager has a set of beliefs and a theology that guides their manner. Draft selections might be valued as precious stones or as money to be exchanged for players with track records. What is the roster building Champ Kelly Doctrine?
Kelly: “If you want to build a winning club in the NFL, you have to start with the quarterback position. In all sports, the quarterback is one of the hardest positions to master. Furthermore, I think the club should be built from the inside out, which means that the offensive and defensive fronts should come first. The ability to get the quarterback and then use skill and plan to protect him is crucial. Next, we need to be able to rush and cover the opponent’s quarterback when they are on the defensive end of the ball.
HC: Prior to the Raiders, you enjoyed a lengthy and prosperous career as a member of the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos. What took away from your experience with the Broncos? Did the organization have great success attracting talent and producing winning results on the field?
Kelly: “I will always be thankful to the Broncos for giving me my first chance to play in the NFL.” Before I got my first interview, I tried to get into this league for four years. I corresponded with all 32 teams three times a year via letters and emails. There was always the will to get in and the resilience. I was fortunate enough to know Jim Goodman, the vice president of personnel for the Broncos. The farm boy from Campbellton, Florida, had a chance to enter this league thanks to Mike Shanahan and Jim. They supported and believed in me, and all I wanted to do in return was work extremely hard. I didn’t have a brother, an NFL coach, or any other connection to the sport.
“I was able to start compiling a database and cataloging the true physical characteristics of NFL players because of my involvement with that organization and my interactions with players such as John Lynch, Rod Smith, Peyton Manning, Champ Bailey, Von Miller, Elvis Dumervil, DeMarcus Ware, Demaryius Thomas, Wesley Woodyard, Danny Trevathan, and numerous others. I got the opportunity to help acquire Peyton Manning, one of the greatest passers in history. It was a big lesson experience to see the importance of signing a seasoned quarterback via free agency and the influence one player can have on a team.
“Coach Shanahan, John Fox, and the other Broncos coaches and staff gave me the opportunity to learn a ton about football. Coach Shanahan would do everything it took to ensure the success of his club. He still amazes me with his attacking acumen and is someone I can always rely on. I continue to rely on Coach Shanahan for guidance and advice. His offensive effect can be seen all throughout the current NFL.
“I learned the value of player empowerment and team culture from Coach Fox. Throughout the corporation, there was a strong emphasis on teamwork and unity. This altruistic strategy brought to mind principles my grandma instilled in me via scripture. Philippians 2:3โ4โwhich states, โDo nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceitโโis the chapter I allude to. Instead, act with humility and put the needs of others above your own. Focus on each other’s interests rather than your own.
HC: How did your tenure with the Bears go? Once more, you received a lot of acclaim for your efforts there. What insights did that company impart to you?
Kelly: “I had the good fortune to continue my roster building education in Chicago. Despite being one of the NFL’s original teams, the Bears were in the process of rebuilding and retooling. I had the opportunity to go there and contribute to the development of a squad that finished at the bottom of the league in defense in 2017 and rose to become one of the best in the league the following year. Being involved in the selection of an impact player like Roquan Smith and the trade for Khalil Mack, a potential Hall of Famer, was incredible. Their influence was felt right away.
“There were times when, as newcomers to Chicago, we would treat the waiver wire like our draft and watch it every day.” Our goal in examining the wire was to gradually strengthen our roster. The fact that our roster improved from what it was to what we achieved in 2018 showed what was possible with the correct strategy and approach. The players we had claimed occasionally had to report the next week.
“At that point, we failed to accomplish our main objective. However, getting the opportunity to work at the place I had always supported and dreamed of as a child was gratifying. In addition, I had the opportunity to meet Neal Anderson, my childhood hero, at the Bears 100th anniversary celebration.
HC: Considering that this period of time has passed since the trade deadline and you haven’t had a draft, what lessons have you learned that have improved you?
Kelly: “I’m happy you brought up that query. I believe that people tend to underestimate the amount of work that goes into becoming an NFL general manager. Every team is now required by the league to submit a job description outlining the responsibilities of being a general manager or head coach. The requirements and requirements for those positions are not fully covered by those descriptions.
It’s true that I was given this position after the trade deadline, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t still a lot of important work to be done. Between the general manager and head coach, there is no tag team. Every day, every hour, and every game, we are simultaneously working toward our objectives. Our job is to create and carry out the team leadership’s and owner’s common vision. Every day, we have an obligation to care for and preserve that culture.
Culture is hard to define. It’s slick. You are in charge of controlling that culture and ensuring that it is continuously and consistently shaped into your vision and your owner’s vision for the club as you lead teams as a general manager and head coach.
“It is your duty to maintain flawless communication. It is your duty to ensure that ownership is informed and that there are no surprises. It is your duty to inform your employees and team about what they can do to succeed not just this week but also going forward. While you’re doing that, you’re also talking to your supporters, the Raider Nation, about your future plans to thrill them.
“I love discussing this because, from where I sit in this chair right now, I get to work with incredibly talented men and women. They have extraordinary talent and gifts. It is my duty to enable, empower, and confide in them so they can perform their duties to the highest standard possible. They won’t be able to work to their full potential if I have an ego, which could be detrimental to the company.
“This work is so multifaceted that every day someone brings up a problem that they feel is urgent, and you handle it as though it were the most pressing matter while they are in your office. We can ensure that we are moving in the same direction and following the same path to achieve the organization’s and the team’s goals once they understand how much you value them and that you care about the same things that they do.
“I took this position following the trade deadline, but the waiver wire is still pouring in. There are always transactions taking place as we strive to further strengthen our roster. Whether they are injured or not, we are always reacting to unanticipated events. As we foster our culture and ensure that the proper individuals are brought on board and cultivated for the long term, all of this is happening. My grandfather used to tell me, “No matter where you go, son, you leave that place better than it was before you got there,” whether or not I’m cheering for the Raiders from this seat.
HC: If my understanding is right, the Champ Kelly Doctrine holds that hiring and scouting personnel is just as crucial as recruiting players?
Kelly: “You need to invest as much time as possible in listening, empowering, and growing your employees. Evaluation and appraisal of rosters are crucial. These victories and defeats will ultimately be used to evaluate us as a roster building team. However, we can’t achieve long-term success unless every department’s personnel are performing at a championship level.
HC: Nobody is sure what the future will bring. Though you have no influence over it, what does being a Raider mean to you personally?
Kelly: “I believe that my destiny is in God’s hands. Speaking of being a Raider gives me the impression that there’s a distinct sense of ownership. The adage “Once a Raider, always a Raider” applies to all organizational levels. As soon as you join this series, you have a feeling that the few moments you get to spend as a Raider are precious and you should give it your all. Because you are aware that your contributions will last forever when you depart from this world.
“This is without a doubt the team that gives its alumni the greatest investment. Ensuring that our alumni appreciate our methods and know what we are doing is a major responsibility of mine. That, in my opinion, is really significant and different from any other football team. The alumni participate in our activities. Every choice we make considers both the present and the past, as well as how those past experiences have influenced the choice.
“Players who dress in silver and black have a deeper significance that reaches their innermost selves. Our ability to overcome hardship in any situation is a clear indication of our commitment to excellence and victory.
Being a Raider means having opportunities, being a trailblazer, and being at the forefront of causes like equity, diversity, and inclusivity. For me, that is a source of pride, particularly as a black man from North Florida who came from modest circumstances. There is resilience and tenacity involved. I believe that what you say about being a Raider is complex. However, when you’re here, you can feel it in your bones.
You are a leader, HC. People who converse with you in the NFL say that while you are a person who takes in information and listens well, you also don’t hesitate to make your own conclusions. After all is said and done, how much balance is there between listening to other people’s perspectives and trusting your gut?
Kelly: “I’ve created a paradigm of decision-making throughout the years that I totally adhere to in almost every decision.
Recognize the issue or problem.
Don’t assume anything.
Gather every piece of information.
Seek advice from knowledgeable people.
Eliminate all prejudice.
Carry out your execution with conviction.
Discuss to make changes or duplicate.
The Silver and Black will play their AFC West rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs, on Christmas Day at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. On Monday, December 25, at 1 p.m., don’t miss it. EST on a Tuesday morning. PST.