Offensive Innovator Suits Chip Kelly Far Greater Than Racist
By Matt Giraldi
Amidst the chaos involving Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Chip Kelly and former running back LeSean McCoy were in the TMZ/NFL championship game early Monday morning. Unlike Super Bowl XXXIX, Eagles fans likely rejoiced at losing this match to the Patriots. At the end of the day, LeSean McCoy displayed nothing but ignorance at a time when true racial tensions warrant rationale discussion. Chip Kelly is shaping the Philadelphia Eagles roster with players that will buy into the system and offer cap flexibility. These actions reflect a football coach making football moves, nothing more.
Perhaps the most baffling aspect of LeSean McCoy’s vitriol is the lack of perspective. Professional athletes, particularly in the NFL, are often overheard saying,” It’s a business.” The writing was on the wall that tough financial decisions would be made this offseason. It’s not the first time nor will it be the last that a beloved (at the time) athlete will have to depart. But let’s remain steadfast in deciphering and separating the facts from fiction pertaining to a story rather than jumping to conclusions, as Phil Sheridan of ESPN clearly did by insinuating Chip Kelly is backed into a corner by these egregious lies.
Skill Players That Left Due to Chip Kelly
Live Feed
Go Joe Bruin
The bevy of players that have departed Philadelphia is nothing short of remarkable. Nick Foles, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Todd Herremans, Cary Williams, Bradley Fletcher, Trent Cole, and more. I suppose I’ll also include LeSean McCoy in that discussion as well. But ask yourself: Would Herremans, Williams, Cole, or even Maclin have been preserved by Andy Reid or Howie Roseman?
What’s ironic about McCoy pointing this out is that Chip Kelly’s football philosophy has long been about interchangeable parts over long-term commitments to “star” players. Consider this: Both Week One matchups under Chip Kelly have seen eight combined Eagles touchdowns. And each time it was a different player crossing between the pylons, along with a different starting quarterback under center.
Skill Players To Arrive Under Chip Kelly
There have been 30 teams to have both a running back and receiver to surpass 1,300 yards. The Eagles became the only one of those teams to lose both the running back and receiver in the following offseason. For as good as both Maclin and McCoy performed last year, it’s not a stretch to assume their production can be replaced by current members on the roster.
Both Jordan Matthews and Nelson Agholor represent a solid one-two punch at wide receiver. DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews join Darren Sproles as an excellent trio in the backfield. Each one of the five aforementioned players flies in the face of McCoy’s flawed logic of race baiting. But more importantly the newest additions for the Philadelphia Eagles are here to improve the team in a football context.
Under Chip Kelly the Philadelphia Eagles have twenty regular season wins, a top-five offense in both years, three different quarterbacks to start six games, and one playoff loss. Whether the team is made up of African-Americans, Caucasians, Hispanics, Hawaiians, Chinese, or aliens from Mars the object is to win the Super Bowl and have sustained success. Two 10 win seasons certainly is indicative of short-term sustained success. And sometimes, in order to get over the proverbial hump drastic personnel changes are needed. Once again, football moves made by a football coach. Nothing more.