Eagles Disappointing Season

Well, that was quick. In less than three seasons, Chip Kelly went from innovative genius to unemployed.

The Philadelphia Eagles fired Kelly on Tuesday evening, with one game left in a disappointing march to mediocrity. The dismissal appears to be less about the results – the Eagles are 6-9 after back-to-back 10-6 marks under Kelly – than the roster he ruined. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur will step in for the season finale against the New York Giants.

Kelly, whose fast-paced offense at the University of Oregon made him attractive to the NFL, speeded up the Eagles. But when he won control of player personnel, he behaved like a power-mad speed freak. He released wide receiver DeSean Jackson, made no attempt to keep receiver Jeremy Maclin, traded running back LeSean McCoy, let Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis go, and traded for oft-injured quarterback Sam Bradford. He signed running back DeMarco Murray, who led the NFL in rushing last year, but then wouldn’t give him the football.

The inconsistent Eagles still had a chance at the playoffs. They needed to win their last two games but came up terribly short in a 38-24 loss to Washington that gave the NFC East title to the Redskins.

The problem for Kelly wasn’t so much his power grab as his reckless use of that dominion over the roster. Jackson, Maclin and McCoy are still potent performers while the Eagles can’t seem to get the right combination of players on the field and dropped numerous passes in falling to Washington.

We likely haven’t heard the last of Kelly as a coach, perhaps even in the NFL. But any team that hires him needs a strong general manager and a willingness to tell Kelly “no,” especially when he doesn’t want to hear it.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman