Nick Piccone
Penned by our Eagles writer, Anthony DiBona. Follow Anthony on Twitter (@Anthony_DiBona).
Since he was hired to be the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, everyone and their mother has been trying to figure out what Chip Kelly is thinking. That needs to stop right now.
Just when everyone thought they had Kelly figured out, he goes out and re-signs Mychal Kendricks, a player everybody thought would eventually be traded. Although many thought he was in Kelly’s doghouse, that showed to be furthest from the truth. Kendricks’ new deal will now make him one of the highest paid inside linebackers in the NFL.
Absolutely nobody saw this move coming. It was widely assumed that Kendricks was on his way out of Philadelphia. After all, he was reportedly shopped during the 2015 NFL Draft and seemed to be the odd man out in the Birds’ inside linebacker rotation with DeMeco Ryans receiving an extension and Kiko Alonso coming to town. Little did we know, Kendricks was a part of Kelly’s long-term plan the entire time.
Although Kelly has been slightly predictable during the draft process, he’s been a mystery otherwise. Nobody saw the LeSean McCoy trade coming, and while some thought Nick Foles’ days were numbered, nobody expected Chip to pull off a trade like that. Kelly is a man of mystery that people can’t get a clear read on. That ultimately makes them try to dig even deeper to figure out what’s going on inside Kelly’s mind.
When Kelly takes the podium for a press conference, you never know what you’re going to get. In a sense, Kelly is similar to future NBA Hall of Fame head coach Greg Popovich. “Pop” is known for his blunt, short answers mixed with a whole lot of sarcasm. Kelly is exactly the same way but he just likes to mess with the media. It’s hilarious to watch him frustrate reporters with his answers at times.
But that’s just another part of the mystery that Kelly presents. Even when you’re face to face with the man, you still don’t know what to believe. That’s why everyone should stop driving themselves crazy and take a step back. Maybe it’s time to just appreciate the opportunity to watch Kelly and his beautiful mind work first-hand.
It’s clear that Kelly has mastered the art of deception. Just when you think you have him figured out, he comes out of left field with a move nobody was expecting. Stop wasting time trying to dive into Kelly’s mind, you’ll ultimately make a wrong turn and fall into one of his many traps.