Kelly played an instrumental role in securing the Tampa Bay area as hosts for the 1999 Men's Final Four at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg and for Super Bowl XXXV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.[5] He was the executive director of the 1999 Final Four Organizing Committee and president of the Super Bowl XXXV Host Committee. He would later also serve as the president of the host committees for Super Bowl XXXIX and Super Bowl XLI.[4] From 2007-2012 he served as Sr. Associate Commissioner at the Atlantic Coast Conference where he oversaw football, communications and broadcasting.
In June 2001, five months after the successful Super Bowl XXXV, Kelly was appointed as associate athletic director at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He left after one year to become the director of athletic facilities and athletic operations at his alma mater of Wake Forest.[4]
In 2006, Kelly left Wake Forest to become the senior associate commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference. While there, he oversaw football broadcasting and communications.[5]
In addition to being the athletic director at USF, Kelly serves as vice chair of the NCAA's Championships Oversight Committee, the President's board of advisors for St. Thomas University, and the board of trustees for St. John's College High School.[4][6]
In 2006, Kelly was named to Sports Business Journal's 40 under 40 list and was presented with the St. Thomas University Distinguished Alumnus Award.[4]