This may seem naïve, but I was actually a little surprised to hear that Chip Kelly was fired as coach of the San Francisco 49ers after their 2-14 season. No one realistically could have expected Kelly to win with the worst roster in the league, and hopefully he will get some benefit of the doubt when he interviews for his next coaching gig. No question that the now ex-general manager Trent Baalke richly deserved his fate; the results of his seven years of NFL drafts are painfully evident. Jed York should be gone, too, but no one has figured out a way to fire owners. Whoever comes next through the Niners’ turnstile had better know how to draft and develop talent; if X and O smoke and mirrors were of any use in the current circumstances, Kelly would likely still be in charge.
One thing we may never know is whether Kelly would have returned to Oregon if his firing has preceded the opening in Eugene. It wouldn’t have necessarily have been the best fit for him—given his previous tenure, nothing less than an immediate return to national championship contention may have satisfied Phil Knight and the other Ducks boosters. He might do better to go somewhere else and start completely fresh. Someplace like UC Berkeley, perhaps, where he would likely have at least two or three years to recruit before having to display tangible results on the field. The job isn’t open yet, but with the way the Cal Bears have played the last few years, Kelly probably won’t have to wait too long, and he could even keep his current residence. With all of the buyout money he’ll get from York, Kelly will have no trouble affording a few extra monthly house payments.
