Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Chris Mortenson of ESPN is reporting that the Philadelphia Eagles and Chip Kelly from Oregon have reached an agreement to name him as their next head coach. This announcement comes weeks after Kelly reported he was returning to coach the Ducks next season. Kelly previously interviewed with the Cleveland Browns and Eagles before this news broke today. Kelly will replace fired coach Andy Reid who is now the head man with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kelly’s name was plastered all over everyone’s coaching candidate list and his initial intentions of returning to Oregon were received with somewhat of a shock. The Eagles must have made him a Godfather-like offer he couldn’t refuse to lure the coach back to the City of Brotherly Love. This turn of events suggests that all candidates are never off the table. Notre Dame‘s Brian Kelly may not be a lock to return to the Irish as was reported earlier this week.
Kelly has East Coast roots when he started at Columbia University in 1990 (yes, the Ivy League school) as an assistant coach. He moved onto John Hopkins as the defensive coordinator in 1993 before ending up at New Hampshire from 1994-2006 before ending up at Oregon as the offensive coordinator and eventual head coach. Kelly has turned the Ducks into one of the country’s most exciting and explosive offenses. However, there have been whispers that things at Oregon recruiting haven’t been on the level. Regardless of the accusations, Kelly is considered a great football mind.
There’s not telling what is next for the Eagles, but Kelly does have some offensive pieces in place with wide receiver DeSean Jackson and running back LeSean McCoy. While Nick Foles is currently the teams quarterback, there’s not telling what is in store for the Eagles under center.
