Eagles Get Their Man

24 hours ago it appeared the Eagles were about to hire Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley but for whatever reason a 6-hour meeting Monday ended with Bradley heading to Jacksonville for talk to the Jaguars about their coaching vacancy. 

Eagles fans were perplexed and disappointed but in the end owner Jeffrey Lurie got the man he has wanted all along.  Chip Kelly is leaving Oregon and the college ranks for the pressure of the NFL….and Philadelphia.

In what comes as a total surprise the Eagles have hired Kelly, who was 46-7 in four seasons with the Ducks thanks to a fast break type of offense and of course wild uniforms.  Kelly met with the Eagles after Oregon won the Fiesta Bowl earlier this month and many expected it was just a matter of agreeing to a contract.  However he later announced that he would stay in Eugene but something happened that resulted in a change of heart.

While Eagles officials have to be celebrating the landing of their top choice fans will likely be concerned that Kelly is about to become the latest successful college coach to crash in the NFL.   Will the results be the same for him as Nick Saban in Miami, Steve Spurrier in Washington and Bobby Petrino in Atlanta?  Or will it more closely remember Pete Carroll, who has done a masterful job in Seattle with the Seahawks.

Wait a second; Carroll failed with both the Patriots and Jets before returning USC to national prominence. Of course he left the Trojans in shame and with NCAA sanctions.  Ironically many will conclude that Kelly finally opted to leave Oregon over speculation that the school and its football program are looking at possible sanctions as well.