Two years into his NFL coaching career, Chip Kelly has traded away stars LeSean McCoy, Nick Foles and DeSean Jackson, while letting go of stars Michael Vick, Jeremy Maclin and Trent Cole. That already had some wondering if Kelly had little respect for the so-called hotshots on his first pro roster, and now one of those guys is saying as much.
“I don’t think he likes or respects the stars. I’m being honest,” McCoy told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday. “I think he likes the fact that it’s ‘Chip Kelly and the Eagles.'”
That, though, could be a huge problem. Because Kelly might simply be too stubborn to realize that he can’t win in Philadelphia the same way he could with the Oregon Ducks. The dynamics of NFL football are completely different than those of college football, and the coaches who have failed to realize that while attempting to make the transition — Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino — have often failed to stick around.
At the college level, it truly is easier to win with a quality system, good coaching and a bunch of nameless cogs. But star quarterbacks win Super Bowls, and a lot of folks will argue that Foles had a better chance at becoming one of those than Sam Bradford or Mark Sanchez, who now lead the Philly QB depth chart.
Historically, stars have won Super Bowls. Darrelle Revis was a difference-maker for the New England Patriots this year, and Tom Brady was their Super Bowl MVP. Bill Belichick has an ego, but he knows he needs stars. You need a nice balance in this league, and there aren’t really any exceptions.
So if Kelly thinks his system is so strong that it can be successful using a bunch of unproven scrubs who suit his preferences, there’s a very good chance he’ll soon learn this league isn’t for him.
Fortunately for Kelly, if or when that happens, he’ll fall back into a comfy college job. But the Eagles will be left in ruins, their fans in dismay again as the franchise continues its search for its first championship in over half a century.
