Chip Kelly's debut season with the Philadelphia Eagles has largely been a success. He has the Eagles on the doorstep of the postseason at 9-6, just needing a victory over the Tony Romo-less Cowboys and their hideous defense in Week 17 to win the NFC East. When Kelly's offense has been firing on all cylinders, as it was on Sunday night versus Chicago when they scored 54 points, it looks downright revolutionary. The Eagles are 2nd in the league in yards per game and points scored. Additionally, Kelly has immediately turned Nick Foles into a Pro Bowler as he leads the NFL in quarterback rating. Even if the Eagles lose on Sunday and miss the playoffs, you can't say it's been a bad year in Philly by any standard.
That's why it's so fun to go back and look at all the predictions that Kelly would be one of the worst hires in pro football history. (Take a bow Heath Evans.) Before the season, and even during the season when the Eagles started slowly, analysts, pundits, and scribes were all burying Kelly's pro coaching career and turning him into Bobby Petrino. Thankfully, Southern Philly saved some of those tweets (bless you social media) so we can now look back at just how wrong all of these experts were about Kelly. Browns fans in particular may want to hide their eyes…
Heath Evans: "I am going on the record calling Chip Kelly one of the worst hires in pro football history." http://t.co/JAxmK4V0
— NFL (@nfl) January 16, 2013
Does nobody remember Rod Marinelli? Or Rich Kotite? Or David Shula?
I promise Eagles fans this: Someday, you will have a QB who makes you say, "I can't believe we tried to talk ourselves into Nick Foles!"
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) June 13, 2013
Foles' stats: 25 TDs, 2 INTs, and a 118.8 QB Rating, which would only be the 3rd highest in NFL history.
Agree. —> “@Bighugh53: Just my 2 cents. I don't think Chip Kelly could coach an NFL team..”
— Ashley Fox (@AshleyFoxESPN) January 1, 2013
Chip Kelly still has a job, Hugh Douglas does not.
And now, the section composed of people confidently saying that the Cleveland Browns were much better off with the very vanilla Rob Chudzinski instead of Chip Kelly. Because nothing says "ending Cleveland's heartache" like that highly touted ChudWeeden combo.
A nice turn of events for Weeden to go from Chip Kelly to possibly Chud/Norv. Better fit
— gregg rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) January 11, 2013
When it comes to Chip Kelly and the Browns, I don't really care. Chudzinski is a better fit, period.
— Andrea Hangst (@FBALL_Andrea) January 16, 2013
Cleveland Browns better off without Chip Kelly: Terry Pluto – http://t.co/MiSP9MXr @clevelanddotcom
— Terry Pluto (@terrypluto) January 6, 2013
Took heat from some Browns' fans when I questioned Chip Kelly's fit with Cleveland's current talent. Love the Rob Chudzinski hire, though.
— Rob Rang (@RobRang) January 11, 2013
My first reaction after 10 minutes with Chip Kelly is the #Browns are better off with Rob Chudzinski.
— Jeff Schudel (@jsbrownsinsider) February 21, 2013
Other teams were better off without Chip Kelly too, like the 4-11 Bucs.
Best move ever for Bucs: Chip Kelly saying no. He's a college coach.
— Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS) January 23, 2012
And when Stephen A. Smith proclaimed this, we all should have known Chip Kelly would succeed.
"I think Chip Kelly is going to be humbled quick, fast & in a hurry. This is not college football." – @stephenasmith
— ESPN First Take (@ESPN_FirstTake) September 20, 2013
Embrace ridiculous predictions and proclamations being stored forever in social media to be made fun of later!
