Raiders assistant GM Champ Kelly disappointed general manager search didn't end in his favor

For most of the entire GM search, fans and media thought former interim general manager Champ Kelly would be the one to get promoted into the actual role for the 2024 season. He was leading the charge and even sat in on the three head coach interviews they did, including Antonio Pierce's.

Obviously, the Raiders threw a curveball and chose former Los Angeles Chargers GM Tom Telesco to run things. He put together a crazy talented roster in Los Angeles, but the coaching, injuries, and cap situation could never get them over the hump.

Now, Kelly is back as the assistant GM, where he was before he was the interim GM. He was still on contract with the Raiders in that role, and unless he got hire d as a GM, which he did have other interviews, he would be back.

And he is back. On Tuesday, the Reese's Senio Bowl practice kicked off in Mobile, Alabama, and Kelly, not Telesco or Pierce, was in attendance for the Raiders.

"I am disappointed the way things turned out," Kelly told Vinny Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal at the Senior Bowl. "But it won't shake my Trust in the Lord. My faith muscle is strong. I am tremendously honored and humbled by all of the support, thoughts, and prayers over the last few days. It has been a trying 'wait' period, but your prayers lifted and encouraged myself and my family."

Kelly was also the runner-up for the general manager job when Dave Ziegler was hired along with Josh McDaniels, so you can't help but think he's disappointed because it's happened twice now. However, just from what we have seen so far, it's evident he will get his shot. It will just take the right team to take a shot on him, and when they do, I have a feeling they will not regret it.