Chip Kelly Is a Damned Innovator

One day, Chip Kelly will be looked upon the same way we view Billy Beane for pioneering Sabermetrics, the 1990s Devils for harnessing the boring-ass powers of The Trap, and Dave Thomas for saving all that grill space by inventing the square patty. Why? Because he’s a goddamned innovator. The Bears are now embracing that whole sleep-is-important thing. From the Chicago Tribune:

Bears players of all shapes and sizes are being taught the importance of sleep this year as part of their never-ending quest for a competitive edge. Sleep is a controllable variable linked to a wide range of benefits on the field and in the meeting room, as newly hired sport science coordinator Jenn Gibson is emphasizing.

For a group of men whose bodies are their livelihood, taking such care is only logical.

“Getting that eight, nine hours is just as important as weight lifting and studying your playbook,” Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long said.

…

The Bears aren’t necessarily pioneers in pursuing the benefits of sleep, but they are part of the NFL’s tightening embrace of sports science.

About one-third of the teams employ some type of in-house sports scientist or performance expert. First-year general manager Ryan Pace added the Bears to that list when he hired Gibson in the offseason.

She was a consultant the previous two years for the Saints, Pace’s former team, while devoting most of her performance and dietary expertise to the U.S. and Canadian Olympic teams from 2006 to 2015.

The Bears declined to let Gibson be interviewed for this story. Players, meanwhile, sense her impact on their sleep and energy through factors such as food choices, frequency of meals and time management.

I feel like we’ve… heard this tale before.

Interesting subplot to Chip’s innovation: He has (had) an edge as the rest of the league tries to catch up, but what happens once all the teams start embracing these extra 2% qualities? Chip’s got to stay a step ahead of the pack. Perhaps that explains the bike?