Chip Kelly lasted 47 games in his first NFL head-coaching role, which shouldn’t really be surprising considering the discouraging precedents set by coaches who — like Kelly — failed to deliver after coming to the NFL with no professional coaching experience.
Throw in that Kelly inexplicably blew up a stellar offense after the front office (also inexplicably) gave him full autonomy, and it’s no wonder Kelly is unemployed today. He gambled on himself and drew snake eyes. If you can’t win a playoff game in three years with a talented team like that, you’re toast.
And while Kelly insists he’ll take another NFL job without full personnel control — something nobody should be willing to give him right now anyway — the reality is he’s better off in NCAA ranks.
Not only did Kelly reveal during his time in Philly that he lacks personnel chops, but the alienated sentiment among many of his former players indicates he lacks the coaching skills necessary to run an NFL roster. His “my way or the highway” approach worked at Oregon, but these aren’t kids. At the NFL level, when dealing with millionaire professional men, you can’t be the mean teacher and there has to be room for give and take.
At the college level, Kelly can take young, impressionable, not-yet-fully-molded players and police them while attempting to see if they can work in his system. And if it certain players don’t fit, Kelly can cast them aside without repercussions.
That’s what Kelly needs. That’s where he should be.
