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The Philadelphia Eagles decided to move on from former Oregon coach Chip Kelly on Tuesday, according to multiple reports.
Kelly, who coached the Ducks to a 46-7 record and a BCS National Championship Game appearance against Auburn, is one of the most respected men in the profession, at least in the college ranks.
But after making a series of risky, criticized moves as coach/general manager, Philadelphia is 6-9 entering the regular-season finale, and the Eagles fired him.
That immediately has led to speculation about where Kelly will go next.
There currently are no FBS head coaching jobs open. Several NFL insiders anticipate that he may re-unite with former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota with the Tennessee Titans. That team is 3-12 entering Week 17, and most expect that coach Mike Mularkey will not be retained.
A high-ranking #Titans source told me a few weeks ago Chip Kelly wasn't on his list because he was under contract. He's not now…
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 30, 2015
Also Kelly went 26–21 with a division title & two 10-win seasons in three years, do we have to hear about what a failure he was in the NFL?
— Matt Hinton (@MattRHinton) December 30, 2015
Still, Kelly could decide to sit out the 2016 season and wait for an appealing college job to open. If he does that, Auburn, LSU and Texas A&M all should at least have Kelly on their radar in case change is needed after next year.
It isn’t beyond all realm of possibility that the Aggies could at least have a conversation with Kelly’s agent through back channels if they feel that Kevin Sumlin is entering 2016 as a lame-duck coach.
Add a 42nd bowl game as everyone starts jockeying for a spot in the Chip Kelly Bowl.
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) December 30, 2015
https://twitter.com/JohnHayesESPN/status/681994905103634437
What's halfway between Austin and College Station? Dime Box? If I'm Chip, I move there and let Horns & Aggies start stacking $$$ in the yard
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) December 30, 2015
Alas, Kelly to the SEC is a very big longshot. But with outgoing personalities and mainstays like Steve Spurrier, Mark Richt and Gary Pinkel, the group of SEC coaches could use another sexy name like Kelly.
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
