Ad Disclosure
Howie 100, Chip 1
Published:
About a year ago Howie Roseman fired Chip Kelly’s buddy (and Eagles VP of Player Personnel) Tom Gamble, and beat reporters proclaimed it another victory in his long streak of bureaucratic battles.
Just a couple of days later, Chip struck back. After meeting with his coach, owner Jeffrey Lurie kicked Howie upstairs with a raise and put him in charge of equipment and other miscellaneous concerns. The tune quickly changed:
But Lurie didn’t fire Howie, and Eagles watchers made a mental note to look for his comeback. Well, it’s here. If you don’t think Roseman was deeply involved in this firing, just look at the letter Lurie sent to season ticket owners (before he even told any players):
“…the search for a new coach will begin and will be led by myself, Don Smolenski and Howie Roseman.”
If that isn’t clear enough, the team fired Ed Marynowitz in the same breath. Marynowitz is a highly regarded young personnel executive, respected around the league, who worked at Alabama before the Eagles. He was Chip’s handpicked guy, who replaced Howie.
We won’t know for a while exactly what happened in that meeting with Chip that caused Lurie to fire him. One report from Jay Glazer says Chip doesn’t want personnel control at his next job; another says not giving it up led to his firing.
@prototyler has a theory that fits both and makes a lot of sense.
Maybe Chip’s reply was “Sure, put anyone in at GM except Howie. But I’m not working for Howie again.” If you’re watched the Eagles for any length of time, you know how that would go over.
Mark Saltveit latest book is "Controlled Chaos: Chip Kelly's Football Revolution." In addition to sportswriting, he is a standup comedian and the World Palindrome Champion.