There’s no question that the criticism leveled at Eagles GM Chip Kelly by Brandon Boykin stung its target. but I don’t think the comments are about race. Boykin was being critical of Kelly’s lack of a close relationships with the players. I don’t think Boykin was calling Kelly a racist, even though it came out that way.
Boykin said Chip is “uncomfortable around grown men of our culture”, seeming to mean that Chip was uncomfortable around African-American NFL players, who are opinionated and independent.
“I don’t know”, Kelly responded to a question about why he thinks Boykin leveled that accusation. “In talking to him last night I think he was stunned, he was disappointed. He really liked it here. He was very close with his teammates.”
Kelly was very surprised about the criticism from Boykin because he felt they parted last night on a good note after the head coach had given Boykin the news.
“When he left here last night, he shook my hand gave me a hug,” Kelly said. “I like Brandon.”
Kelly is the type of head coach, who isn’t chummy, chummy with his players, so what. There have been many outstanding coaches, who coached their teams in the same manner.
Is Bill Belichick chummy, chummy with his players? I played for Tom Landry and he didn’t have close personal relationships with his players, but he won often and coached numerous Super Bowl Champions.
When asked about Boykin’s comments, Kelly was unable to tell us why.
I got to know Boykin over the time he’s been here and I found him to be a sensible young man. He doesn’t just throw comments out there irresponsibly up, but he made that comment after saying earlier that he didn’t know Kelly very well. I don’t think you can justifiably criticize the motives of a person after saying you don’t know them very well.
It’s very difficult to know the motives of somebody and that is especially true of people whom you don’t know very well.
I think Boykin is a good football player, but we all have heard Chip talk about the importance of getting corners with height, and long arms. Boykin has everything you would want in a football player, but he doesn’t have height or long arms.
In addiiton, rookie cornerback JaCorey Shepherd, who was lining up at number one nickel back today, looks like a good football player, who has some tremendous coverage ability. Shepherd’s coverage skills may have made Boykin expendable.
“It speaks more to our depth at the position,” Kelly said. “We thought it was the move to make.”
And yet another player who wants to run there mouth when they are out the door, and not to Chips face.. I can see why he got rid of Shady Mccoy the more and more he runs his mouth and not to mention we got to bring in more players because it helped the cap situation. Desean Jackson was a purely football reason because a coach who values the running game probably more than anyone in football does not want a 5’10 wr on the edge who cannot block whatsoever, and just so happened to be bitching about another contract when he was 7th highest by average for his position at the time…It seems like year after year the Birds have had trouble in the red zone and short field situations more than anyone in the league the past 5-7 years. That happens by being small like desean jackson and someone who dances like mccoy and is not a punch you in the mouth back. Although very talented, im taking a marshawn lynch style type of back anyday. Expect the redzone problems to be solved…
On Brandon Boykins situation, he was not going to be the determining factor that makes or breaks the Eagles season in 2015..period. So what did Chip do? He got rid of a 5’8 corner who he was not going to resign and got a 4th round pick instead of absolutely nothing in 2016 when he would have walked.. I always thought he was overrated anyway after watching what Wes Welker did to him a couple years ago.. He picked off Kyle Orton to send us to the playoffs which was nice but again it was…Kyle Orton. The dude couldnt even beat out Bradley or Cary.. I’m much more comfortable in seeing what we go in Jercorey, Jaylan, Ed, Rowe, and Carroll who has the most experience on the team.
All these players running there mouth shows how butt hurt they really are to leave Philly. If they would have really wanted to gone they would go out the classy way and keeping there shut. Focus on your new team and quit trying to ruin the coaches reputation with hilarious accusations on twitter and shit. So happy Chip recognizes weak people and gets there asses out of here.
I’ve been a football enthusiast for over 30 years and there’s NEVER been a time when 3 or more quality players have been moved from any organization going in all different directions but all came to the same conclusion that the coach/GM that traded them was racist. It’s absurd and offensive that some people are dismissive of what’s actually transpired and HOW the players have defined their experiences…like ANYone that hasn’t been in the locker room is more of an authority then they are. That the players choose not to the “R” word when it’s basically what they’re saying seems more reflexive for self-defense but it doesn’t make it any less clear what they’re saying.
I wonder when it’s ten or fifteen years from now and all of the current Eagles are retired and there’s an ESPN roundtable discussion about race, the NFL and “The Chip Kelly Experiment” and every single Black player says the guy is/was racist I kind of wonder how many people will still try to make the argument that he isn’t/ wasn’t?
neither desean or boykin called him a racist? what are you talking about? only the petulant , stupid, little boy mccoy did…. get your facts straight.
Hac this guy has only used stuff to fit his agenda, he doesnt care about actual facts
Chip Kelly’s runs his team like the Military or a DI runs a Camp
He does not care about the Players Race,Religion or Ethnic background.
What he does care about and want on his Teams are Players who smart,100% fully committed team first oriented players who have the size, measurables and the talent who are also versatile and a track record of success besides the football field..
Chip Kelly’s is not going for the best 53 Talented Players, he is building a Roster of 53 Players who fit his Program with the attributes I listed above
It’s pretty simple when you look at his past and what he’s done while with the Eagles…
I stated whenChip Kelly was Hired that he would break up with the Big 3 (Vick,D-Jax & McCoy) as began to set his own Stamp on the Eagles
This Off-Season I stated that Kelly would move on from older Players that he either inherited from AR or that were overpaid and not long term fits for him..
I listed Players like Herremans,Casey,Cole, C Williams who were still under Contract for 2015 & beyond…
I mentioned that Evan Mathis would not remain an Eagles if he held out of voluntary camp in the Spring again as he did last year
I stated Maclin would bolt for greener pastures and that KC was a perfect fit for him and that AR would cut WR D Bowe to free up $$$ to be able to sign Maclin
which is exactly what happened…
My only real surprise player personnel wise was the Eagles Re-Signing OLB Brandon Graham who I thought for sure was a goner…
Now all these transactions and moves are behind the Eahles and now Kelly is grinding out that bottom 10 of the Roster and releasing Players in Camp who are not good fits and bringing in players who potentially could be…
SamBradford has played well per most reports these first 2 weeks of Camp so my hats off to him for the hard work he put in since the Soring to get his body & mind focused in on the Eagles Playbook and his health…
My 3 Biggest Concerns going into the Pre-Season
1) Who is RG?
2) Is Walt Thurmond a legitimate Safety ?
3) Is Kiko Alonso just snake-bitten with health issues ?
(He’s missed over a week now with Concussion and still waiting to pass the NFL Protocol and this was at the start of Camp before any real hitting or contact is done…
He could end up Missing significant time or perhaps having to retire due to head injuries if he sustains another 1 or 2 of them in the next month or so)