Chip Kelly has coached the Eagles for less than three full seasons. That’s nothing. Sure, many coaches are given much shorter leashes and end up with shorter tenures, but Chip’s leash is longer than a Sam Bradford bomb [editor’s note: so about 8-10 yards]. The Eagles have way too much invested in him to fire him, barring a disaster.

Donovan McNabb, speaking to Syracuse.com while on campus for an … insurance trade show? … said that Chip’s clock is ticking if he doesn’t start winning soon. He also tooted his own horn so hard it broke:

“Well, he better win soon. You talk about the tenure I had, over a decade of winning successfully, making it to the playoffs. First round meant nothing to us. It was second round, NFC Championship or Super Bowl.

We’ve had a top-five offense, but he hasn’t had any playoff wins to show for it. We can talk about how smart you are and the numbers you’re putting up, but Philadelphia is used to winning. If you’re not winning, it’s going to be next man up.”

Sure, Eagles fans are used to winning – even though the last time the Eagles won a playoff game is now seven years ago – but that doesn’t mean “next man up.” A constant rotation of coaches does no one any good, just look at Cleveland or Miami or any of those teams synonymous with losing. Look at their coaching history. And still, it’s not like Chip compares unfavorably to Andy Reid.

Through the same number of games (both with the Eagles and total), Andy Reid’s record was 20-19. Chip’s? 23-16. Sure, that doesn’t give you the whole story. At that point, Reid had found his franchise QB because they had a high enough pick in the draft to grab him. Reid’s first team was also less talented than Chip’s. But Andy was on a clear upswing in his third season, while Chip is in a bit of a valley.

Chip’s not going to lose his job at this point. McNabb should know that. Jeffrey Lurie is going to hold onto Chip for dear life.* He’s a divisive figure, sure, but he’s a figure in the national conversation who has been handed the keys to the organization. For him to coach anywhere else in the next few years, he’ll have to leave on his own. Lurie isn’t gonna kick him to the curb, he’ll have to … go back to college.


*If Chip and the Eagles go 0-fer for the rest of the year and finish with 3 wins, I take this back.

Kyle: McNabb is the same guy who, last year, said Tom Brady could be out of a job. That worked out well.