Eagles head coach Chip Kelly and LeSean McCoy's relationship has blossomed with the 25-year old becomming a focal point in Kelly's high octane offense. Photo Courtesy: Oregon Live
There was a little bit of a scuttlebutt that had been stirred up this week after the Fox camera crew caught LeSean McCoy and Chip Kelly in a heated conversation on the Philadelphia Eagles sideline in the latter moments of Sunday's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Could there be trouble in paradise between the first-year head coach and the team's franchise running back?
Absolutely not, says McCoy.
"He has that player mentality, that attitude where he's fired up. Sometimes he's talking to me like he's out there running. We talk. He challenges me to do different things. I like that. I like a [coach] that challenges some of his top players, where most coaches might let their guys go. Where there's a play, you've got to make it. If there's a block, you've got to pick it up. He'll let you know . . . He gives a different approach than other coaches, because he wants me to be great. At times he'll ask me, 'How great you wanna be?'
"We just talk all the time. It's never a negative thing. We never holler at each other. I like coach Kelly. I'm so glad he's here."
McCoy, 25, has plenty of reasons to appreciate Kelly's early contributions to the franchise, namely his high octane run oriented offense.
Through the first six games of the season McCoy is the NFL's leading rusher with 630 yards and three touchdowns. Projected out and is on pace for a historic mark of 1,680 yards which would easily set the franchise record.
The admiration between running back and coach is certainly mutual.
"Did I know how talented he was? The one thing I've been really impressed with LeSean is that he's a complete running back," Kelly said. "I think you look at him in blitz pickup and some things that go a little bit unnoticed, a couple times, the Giants brought blitzes and just he stepped up and stoned the linebacker in the hole.
"I didn't know as much about his ability as a blocker and some of those aspects. Obviously you saw the highlight runs and got a little sample size, but I think his ability to be a complete back is really what's impressed me, and his durability. He's been great so far, knock on wood."
It's now clear that McCoy is not only the face of this franchise but also the focal point of one of the league's most prolific offenses.
McCoy and his teammates can put a stranglehold on the NFC East lead with a win over the Dallas Cowboys Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field by moving to a perfect 4-0 in NFC conference play and 3-0 within the division.
It would be hard to imagine McCoy not being the centerpiece of Kelly's attack Sunday afternoon.
Matt Lombardo is the Editor-In-Chief of Eagledelphia and also an on-air personality on 97.5 FM The Fanatic in Philadelphia. Join the conversation and follow Matt on Twitter.
