Oregon no more. Chip Kelly is the next coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
In all the twists and turns of the Philadelphia Eagles head coaching search, absolutely no one saw this coming. But, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Oregon head coach Chip Kelly has done an about-face and decided that yes, he wants to come to the NFL and indeed, the team he wants to coach for is the Philadelphia Eagles.
In a day that has featured panicked Eagles fans watch Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley leave Philadelphia after a lengthy second interview at Jeffrey Lurie’s home on Tuesday evening to interview with the Jacksonville Jaguars, this is a curve ball that no one anticipated. At this stage of the search, conventional wisdom believed that either Bradley or former Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt were the top candidates for the team.
One thing’s for sure: demonstrating such indecision on his first major decision with the Philadelphia Eagles – whether or not to take the job – won’t immediately endear Kelly to many Eagles fans. But all is forgiven if the move proves to be a success.
My, my, no one can ever accuse the Eagles of ever being dull. Perhaps in the coming days we’ll gain some clarity on what transpired with Bradley and what ultimately changed Kelly’s mind.
UPDATE: Minutes after Mortensen’s tweet, the Eagles confirmed news of Kelly’s hire, who will become the 21st head coach in the team’s history. Said Lurie,
“Chip Kelly will be an outstanding head coach for the Eagles,” said Lurie. “He has a brilliant football mind. He motivates his team with his actions as well as his words. He will be a great leader for us and will bring a fresh energetic approach to our team.”
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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports
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