The San Francisco 49ers have hired former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly. 49ers CEO Jed York broke the news on twitter.
After a thorough search, Trent & I are thrilled to announce Chip Kelly as the new #HeadCoach of the @49ers
— Jed York (@JedYork) January 14, 2016
Kelly was regarded as a top college coach after leading Oregon to multiple Pac-12 titles and to a National Championship game. He was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013 and has coached the team for the last three years before being fired with just one game remaining this season. Kelly was given full autonomy over the Eagles roster moves last offseason, but led to a turbulent off-season, and when the changes didn’t lead the Eagles to results on the field, he was let go from the Eagles.
Chip Kelly’s most famous moves with Philadelphia were the surprising release of receiver DeSean Jackson, the trade of running back LeSean McCoy and the trade to acquire Sam Bradford. Many analysts have said that Kelly went mad with power and control and that this ultimately ruined the Eagles 2015 season. It was also thought that nobody on Philadelphia was safe. There was further bad publicity when LeSean McCoy accused Chip Kelly of being racist and getting rid of the good black players after he was traded away.
Kelly will be coaching, but will not have control of roster decisions in San Francisco.Chip Kelly is a good coach if you fit in his scheme and the main reason he was hired by the 49ers is the fact that they still have Colin Kaepernick at quarterback. Kaepernick is a mobile quarterback who fits Kelly’s favored hurry-up style of offensive football that he ran with Oregon and Philadelphia.
“Chip possesses all the qualities we were looking for in our next head coach,” 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. “He has demonstrated the ability to be innovative everywhere he has coached and has had great success throughout his career. Chip’s passion for the game and vision for the future of this team clearly stood out to us during the search process. He is an extremely driven individual that I look forward to working with.”
SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 28: Head coah Chip Kelly of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on while his team warms up prior to playing the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on September 28, 2014 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
