Chip Kelly Rumors: Oregon Coach A Target For Many NFL Teams

The Chip Kelly rumors are flying as the Oregon coach is a hot item with a high number of NFL teams that have coaching vacancies.

The coach who created a wide-open offensive style of play in Oregon has been rumored to be jumping to the NFL all season, and already many of the concepts he created have been picked up by NFL teams. The New England Patriots have used aspects of his fast-paced offensive attack to success this season.

With seven coaches fired on the Monday after the regular season, Chip Kelly will almost certainly be walking on the NFL sidelines next season. But, for now, the Oregon coach is focused on his team’s final game.

“I’ve got a game to play,” Kelly told The Associated Press at the Fiesta Bowl’s media day on Monday. “We’re playing in the Fiesta Bowl. That’s the biggest thing in my life. If I allowed other things to get into my life, then they would be distractions, but there aren’t. Our focus 100 percent is on the Fiesta Bowl.”

After a resume at Oregon that includes four straight BCS bowl games and a trip to the national championship game in 2011, the Chip Kelly rumors are now into their second year. After last season, the coach interviewed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he decided to return to Oregon instead.

Chip Kelly has been mostly quiet about the rumors, deflecting questions about a jump to the NFL and focusing on the Ducks.

“My whole thing since I’ve been here is that I’m going to do the best job I can every single day,” Kelly said. “If that’s good enough that other people look at me sometimes, I don’t really care about that. I think too many people live in the future. We live in the moment.”

The Chip Kelly rumors will likely continue until he has taken his first NFL job. Kelly is said to be a top candidate to replace Pat Shurmur in Cleveland, and NFL.com is reporting that he’s also considered a top choice for the Philadelphia Eagles.