Chip Kelly’s unemployment didn’t even last a month. The former Philadelphia Eagles head coach has latched on with the San Francisco 49ers, where he’ll serve as the team’s head coach in 2016 and (presumably) beyond.
#49ers hire Chip Kelly as 20th head coach in franchise history. #WelcomeCoachKellyhttps://t.co/uJMLZgO0rd pic.twitter.com/eAyktBZ06H
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 14, 2016
Kelly was fired by the Eagles on December 29th after the team’s 38-24 loss to the Redskins in Week 16 eliminated Philadelphia from playoff contention. Kelly went 10-6 in both 2013 and 2014, winning the NFC East in his first year with the team but missing out last season. This season, Kelly revamped the team in his own image and rubbed many people the wrong way in the process following his numerous personnel moves, including the trade of star running back LeSean McCoy to the Bills and a quarterback swap with the Rams involving Sam Bradford and Nick Foles.
With San Francisco, Kelly will take over a team that was a vast disappointment in 2015, going just 5-11 under Jim Tomsula after the firing of Jim Harbaugh after an 8-8 season. Blaine Gabbert and Colin Kaepernick split the quarterbacking duties for the Niners last season, and Kaepernick is presumably the better fit for Kelly’s system. However, Kaepernick’s escalating contract, decreasing productivity, and increasing dissatisfaction with the 49ers organization could result in him parting ways with the team this offseason.
Kelly shouldn’t be expected to win right away in San Francisco, like he was in Philadelphia, but he’ll need to at least get the organization moving in the right direction.
