Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly responded Thursday to speculation earlier this week that USC may have him near the top of their wish list to replace fired Lane Kiffin.
Earlier this week, Gil Brandt of NFL.com haphazardly linked Chip Kelly to the USC head coaching job that became open over the weekend when the Trojans fired Lane Kiffin on Sunday.
On Thursday the first-year Philadelphia Eagles head coach was asked about the speculation and how he would handle a scenario where one of the more high profile coaching gigs on the college landscape came calling.
“I’m the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles,” Kelly replied. “I’m very, very excited to be here. I’m not entertaining anything like that. I’m here.”
Kelly also said that he does not deal in hypotheticals.
Even if Kelly preferred to take the Bobby Petrino, Steve Spurrier Expressway back to college, the NCAA made that jump a virtual impossibility after issuing 18-month 'show cause' sanctions against the former Oregon coach. Even if USC or any other University wanted to serve as Kelly's 'golden parachute' they would be required to appear before the NCAA committee on infractions.
It's also unlikely that Kelly even has the ability to walk away after one year from the six-year $32 million contract he signed with the Eagles in January.
While Kelly may not have his ear to the ground when it comes to the marquee job openings across the country, that doesn't mean analysts won't be at the ready to churn the rumor mill so long as the Birds are taking their lumps.
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.
