After a year of toying with the emotions of Oregon fans, Chip Kelly has finally made his decision. On Wednesday, in a move that took the nation by surprise, the Philadelphia Eagles hired Kelly as head coach.
Kelly was a hot commodity for the second straight off-season, having interviewed with the Browns, Eagles, and Bills in the days following Oregon's 2013 Fiesta Bowl victory over Kansas State. But, after having decided to stay at Oregon, Kelly had second thoughts.
And, on Wednesday, Kelly took Ducks nation by surprise when he agreed to succeed Andy Reid as the new head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
"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."
Kelly has been a head coach for just four years, all of which have been at Oregon. He went 46-7 since taking over for Mike Bellotti, leading the Ducks to four consecutive BCS bowl games, including the school's first ever BCS national championship appearance. The Ducks won their first Rose Bowl since 1917 last season before winning the Fiesta Bowl this year.
"I want to thank Chip for his leadership and commitment to building on the Oregon Football foundation of excellence," Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said in a statement. "We have enjoyed incredible success over the past four years. I have great respect for Chip, consider him a friend and wish him the best of luck in the NFL."
Mullens did not announce the team's next head coach, but everyone in and around the Oregon program continues to point to current offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich as the team's next leader.
----
© 2013 Max Price - All Rights Reserved.
Follow me on Twitter @OsportsExaminer and on Facebook.
Click the "SUBSCRIBE" button below to receive free updates on important Oregon Ducks Football articles sent directly to your e-mail.
Comments