The Eagles last night "altered the course of the franchise" with the "stunning announcement" that coach Chip Kelly had been fired after three seasons, according to a front-page piece by Zach Berman of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie in an open letter said, "As I watched this season unfold, I determined that it was time to make a change." A source said that Lurie yesterday had a meeting with Kelly "that did not go well." Berman reports the "bold move was made just days before the season finale, which is unprecedented for Lurie." He had "waited until the end of the season during the previous three firings." The Eagles "also fired" VP/Player Personnel Ed Marynowitz. Senior Advisor Tom Donahue "will take over as senior director of player personnel." Meanwhile, Eagles Exec VP/Football Operations Howie Roseman, the team's former GM, "could take on a larger role" within the organization. Roseman "will be a part of the search for a new coach" along with Lurie and team President Don Smolenski. That same trio "oversaw the coaching search" in '13, when Kelly replaced then-coach Andy Reid (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 12/30).
HOW IT WENT DOWN: ESPN's Sal Paolantonio cited sources as saying that Lurie "had been thinking for weeks about making changes in the team's structure, including stripping Kelly of personnel control." Sources said that that suggestion "was made to Kelly when he met with Lurie recently, and Kelly balked at the idea" (ESPN.com, 12/29). THE MMQB's Peter King reported Lurie "wanted to reshape the front office, and Kelly didn't want to give up any personnel freedom." Lurie saw "some of the wasted money and cap space and figured he had to do something about it," but Kelly "disagreed." That was the "crux of the issue -- Lurie wanted to change course with personnel, which makes sense, and Kelly did not" (MMQB.SI.com, 12/30). But FOXSPORTS.com's Jay Glazer noted reports that the Eagles "offered him to stay if he gave up personnel control ... wasn't the case at all." Glazer: "It was a straight-up thing" ("Fox Sports Live," FS1, 12/29).
TAKE THE POWER BACK: In Philadelphia, Les Bowen cites a source as saying that Lurie told confidantes, even before the Eagles were eliminated from playoff contention last weekend, that he "wanted to 'take back the team.'" That would indicate "pretty severe disillusionment on the part of Lurie." A source said that Kelly's chief of staff James Harris was "also fired" yesterday (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 12/30). Also in Philadelphia, Marcus Hayes notes the fact that that Lurie also fired Marynowitz, Kelly's "personal personnel go-fer, points to this all being about personnel decisions, and that would be enough" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 12/30). In New Jersey, Mark Trible writes while "no one expected such an abrupt end a year ago, Lurie proved himself unafraid of admittance of his wrongfully placed trust" (Cherry Hill COURIER-POST, 12/30).
ODD TIMING: CSNPHILLY.com's Dave Zangaro wrote the only thing "more shocking than the Eagles’ firing Kelly is the timing of the move, which came with one game left" in the '15 season (CSNPHILLY.com, 12/29). The DAILY NEWS' Hayes writes the move is "stunning," as it was just three months ago Lurie called Kelly "a great leader" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 12/30). In Philadelphia, Bob Brookover writes it is "hard to believe that it was only one year ago that Kelly won his power struggle with Roseman when he convinced Lurie that he needed control of the personnel moves even if it didn't come with a new title" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 12/30). Also in Philadelphia, John Smallwood writes this move "was so far out of character" for Lurie. He has "rarely, if ever, been reactionary in his more than two decades of owning" the team. Lurie has "always displayed great patience with his coaches, never making a move in-season" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 12/30). CSNPhilly.com’s John Gonzalez said, “I don’t know how you couldn’t be shocked by this, because the Eagles -- and especially Jeff Lurie -- have shown a propensity for sort of sticking with what they’ve done, letting things grow organically, giving things time to develop. That’s not this. This is the exact opposite. This was beginning to end, a super-fast courtship, a very quick marriage, and then the best part about it was the annulment" ("SportsNet Central," CSN Philadelphia, 12/29). CBSSPORTS.com's Jason La Canfora wrote, "Had Kelly been fired next Tuesday, I would have been surprised. For it to occur in this fashion, at this time, was such a departure for this organization I had to read the official statement on the team's website three times before I totally believed it was not a hoax of some sort" (CBSSPORTS.com, 12/29).
LURIE SHOULD LOOK IN THE MIRROR: In Philadelphia, Mike Sielski writes Lurie "brought this entire embarrassment upon himself, from beginning to end." He pursued Kelly in '13, "failed to get him, pounced when Kelly had a change of heart and mind, handed Kelly control of the Eagles roster a year ago." That time line "doesn't paint a picture of sober, patient leadership atop the franchise." It suggests "impetuousness, impatience, and a failure to take the proper measure of Kelly as a man, a coach, and a decision-maker." Even after "presumably learning everything he could about Kelly before hiring him, even after three years of seeing Kelly in action, of interacting with him, Lurie never understood whom he was dealing with" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 12/30). CSNPhilly's Reuben Frank said, "Chip Kelly was embarrassing the franchise. He was embarrassing that Eagles logo. He was embarrassing Jeff Lurie. ... The way it was trending downward so quickly, how do you bring that guy back when he has turned this franchise into the laughing stock of the NFL?” Frank noted there is a chance Lurie will acknowledge hiring Kelly "was a mistake." He added, "The way Jeff is, I think he’ll probably talk around it, and won’t really answer it. But you know deep down, he’s got to regret doing it” ("SportsNet Central," CSN Philadelphia, 12/29).
ROSEMAN COLORED GLASSES: In Newark, Mark Eckel cites sources as saying that there was a "war going on in the NovaCare Complex between Roseman and Marynowitz." One source said that the firings "have Roseman's fingerprints all over it." A long-time exec from an Eagles rival said, "Howie got him. He won. It took him some time, but he got to the owner, and he won. That's just amazing. What is Lurie thinking? That place is just out of control" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 12/30). CSNPHILLY.com's Zangaro noted in January, it "appeared Kelly had won a power struggle with then-GM Roseman when Lurie gave Kelly full control of player personnel." While Roseman's responsibilities "were diminished, he did receive a raise and fancier title." Kelly "made major moves this offseason with poor results." Now, Lurie "pulled the plug on the entire operation." By Roseman's inclusion in the letter on the team's site, it "appears he really has outlasted the coach who many thought had the chance to revolutionize the game at the NFL level" (CSNPHILLY.com, 12/29). ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert wrote it is "fair to assume that Roseman will be resuming a primary advisory role to Lurie in football operations." Seifert: "Note to self: Never cross Howie Roseman" (ESPN.com, 12/29). CBS Sports' La Canfora wrote on his Twitter feed, "Biggest winner of Chip's thirst for power is Howie Roseman. Big contract, more years, Chip imploded and now gets to help pick his successor" (TWITTER.com, 12/29).
