Inside the Iggles
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Eagles Chip Kelly Could Get An Extension

By Todd Duvall

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The Philadelphia Eagles relationship with Chip Kelly will not end like many fans want. He’s here to stay for at least one more season and could possibly get an extension.

Eagles fans have the highest of expectations of their team. They have a bad reputation for being quick to criticize and blast their own team. They often boo their own team in their own stadium. Philadelphia Eagles tackle Lane Johnson criticized fans after the 45 – 17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Even though he apologized for his remarks he had a good point. Often times the Eagles have no home field advantage.

Here’s some proof.

Fans are creating twitter handles calling for his ouster. How quickly they forget Kelly came to the Eagles with a broken franchise. They had just finished a season 4 – 12 and were demoralized. Kelly took essentially the same personnel from that season and led them to the playoffs his first season as head coach. He repeated that record the following season but came up short in a playoff run.

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So he did what any coach wanting to take his team to the next level. He knew personnel changes were needed. He wanted to re-tool his team to make them contenders. In their first season, Kelly’s team has struggled but it’s to be expected. They are still learning to work together so there is going to be some growing pains.

The Eagles have lost three straight games and the last two by a combined 90 – 32. The 45 – 17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was tough for fans to see but the recent Thanksgiving loss to the Detroit Lions by 45 – 15 was more than the “Philly Faithful” could take. The demand for Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly’s head on a silver platter was loud and clear.

But that is typical Philadelphia fans, right?

The momentum and signs seem to be piling up against a Chip return to Philadelphia. I think both sides are sick of each other. I think the fans are tired of him, I think he’s tired of the situation there – just my read from afar … I just think that Chip Kelly, if given a choice, might be comfortable elsewhere …- Adam Schefter

During an interview on Sirius XM radio the week after the Buccaneers loss ESPN Analyst Alan Schefter said he believes Kelly is ready and willing to leave. Of course none of that is substantiated by anyone in the Eagles camp but that bomb is out there now. And Eagles fans feasted on it.

Schefter isn’t sure of this but it’s what he thinks. But he’s an outsider like a lot of fans. He, like many fans don’t have the inside scoop of the Eagles locker room or front office. All they have is their emotions and perceptions from what they see from a distance.

But in reality, Kelly isn’t going anywhere. Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has proven to be a patient man. He’s not given to knee-jerk reactions when it comes to his staff. If you remember the Eagles’ record the year after they represented the NFC in Super Bowl 39 was 6 – 10. Lorie stood by former Eagles head coach Andy Reid. That move paid off as Reid did lead the Eagles to five post season appearances in the following six seasons.

Next: Losing Chip Kelly Will Set Eagles Back 10 Years

The Eagles won’t fire Kelly at the end of this season, nor will they trade him. In an interview with 97.5 The Fanatic NFL Analyst Ian Rapoport said he was told not to rule out a Chip Kelly trade to the Tennessee Titans for a first round draft pick.

It seems Rapoport has gotten himself caught up in the “Chip Kelly Must Go” machine like a majority of analysts and fans. That machine is getting out of control. Kelly is a smart coach. It doesn’t look like it right now but some of the choices he made in the off season have proven pretty good.

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