Philadelphia Eagles hire Oregon's Kelly
BY ROB MAADDI Associated Press
Thursday, January 17, 2013
1/17/13 at 6:45 AM
PHILADELPHIA - In the end, Chip Kelly chose the NFL, giving the Eagles their guy.
Philadelphia hired Kelly on Wednesday, just 10 days after he decided to stay at Oregon. The 49-year-old Kelly, known as an offensive innovator, becomes the 21st coach in team history and replaces Andy Reid, who was fired on Dec. 31 after a 4-12 season.
He will be introduced at a 1:30 p.m. Thursday news conference at the Eagles' practice facility.
Kelly, who was 46-7 in four years at Oregon, interviewed with the Eagles, Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills in a two-day span after leading the fast-flying Ducks to a victory over Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl Jan. 3.
The Eagles are known to have interviewed 11 candidates, including two meetings with Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. All along, Kelly was thought to be Philadelphia's first choice in a long, exhaustive process that took many twists.
"Chip Kelly will be an outstanding head coach for the Eagles," owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement. "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."
On the day he fired Reid, Lurie appeared to be describing Kelly when he said he wanted to find a "real smart, forward-thinking coach" who is "strategic, a strong leader, very comfortable in his own skin."
The enigmatic Kelly reportedly was close to signing with the Browns after a long interview Jan. 4. He met with the Eagles for nine hours the next day, setting up a soap-opera scenario in which the Eagles were competing with Browns CEO Joe Banner, their former president and longtime friend of Lurie who left the organization after a falling out. But that roller coaster ended when Kelly opted to remain - temporarily - in Eugene, Ore.
"It's a very difficult decision for me. It took me so long to make it just because the people here are special," Kelly told KEZI-TV. "The challenge obviously is exciting for me, but it's an exciting time and it's a sad time - saying goodbye to people you love and respect, and I wanted to make sure I talked to my players and did it in the right fashion and talked to our staff. I feel I did."
The Eagles interviewed two other high-profile college coaches - Penn State's Bill O'Brien and Notre Dame's Brian Kelly. Both elected to stay with their schools.
Bradley was considered by many to be the leading contender, but that all changed when Kelly had a change of heart.
Original Print Headline: Eagles hire Oregon's Kelly
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