There's no doubting that Chip Kelly is a controversial head coach. He elicits a strong reaction, which was evident when the San Francisco 49ers announced they hired Kelly Thursday.
Some 49ers' fans loved the move, while others hated it. Kelly might not have even been the team's first choice, but hiring him was a smart choice by the 49ers' front office. Here are 3 Reasons Why The 49ers Made The Right Move In Hiring Chip Kelly:
3. Team's QBs Fit Kelly's System
Both Blaine Gabbert and Colin Kaepernick fit Kelly's ideal offensive system. They are mobile quarterbacks who are best when they can get the ball out of their hands quickly. Gabbert's athletic ability is underrated, while Kaepernick's running ability is well-known. Both QBs can run the read-option, something Kelly wasn't completely been able to adopt with the Eagles. Kelly made Nick Foles look like a competent QB with Philadelphia and Foles was a total disaster in St. Louis. He can do something similar with either Gabbert or Kaepernick. Hiring Kelly means the 49ers will be much better next season at the most important position.
2. He's Had Success In The Past
Apparently, everyone is forgetting about Kelly's first two seasons in Philadelphia. The year before Kelly arrived, the Eagles were 4-12 and had the 29th ranked offense. The very next year, the Eagles went 10-6 and had the fourth best offense. They went 10-6 again the following season with the third best offense. Sure, the Eagles took a step back this season (more on that below), but they still had the 13th best offense in the league. Kelly has proven himself as an NFL coach and the 49ers should be happy they landed him. If the 49ers had made this hire after last season, few would be questioning the move.
1. Kelly Won't Have Personnel Control
Kelly's downfall in Philadelphia wasn't his coaching, but his decisions as a de-facto general manager. While Kelly made some good moves (CB Brandon Boykin didn't do much with Pittsburgh and Foles was Foles), he made too many mistakes that cost him his job. There were several personnel errors that Kelly made, but they won't follow him to San Francisco. Kelly won't have personnel control, as that will remain with GM Trent Baalke. Some 49ers fans don't like Baalke, but he's been a solid GM for the 49ers and has a strong eye for talent, especially in the later rounds. Kelly will likely have some input (as nearly every head coach does), but he won't be making the final call. That's important, because it means Kelly likely won't be taking Oregon players or dealing players like LeSean McCoy. The jokes can be funny, but the 49ers made the right move in hiring Kelly.
BONUS REASON:
He's not Jim Tomsula.