While the Giants and 49ers were busy fighting over the right to play in the Super Bowl, news starting breaking (via Twitter, obviously) that Oregon's Chip Kelly was close to finalizing a deal that would make him the head coach of the Tampa Bay Bucs. Odd timing, given that Signing Day is one week away, and the Oregon Ducks are expected to be a preseason top 10 squad next year, even without QB Darron Thomas (who inexplicably entered the Draft) and RB LaMichael James. That said, the NCAA had been snooping around Eugene, OR this past season -- there's that whole Willie Lyles recruiting mess -- so to me, it made sense. Can you say Pete Carroll?
But then he pulled a Billy Donovan, according to CBS Sports:
Two sources with direct knowledge of the talks told CBSSports.com that Oregon head coach Chip Kelly had agreed in principle to take the same position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was in the process of finalizing details of a multi-year contract but has changed is mind and will stay at Oregon. The Register-Guard first reported the news of Kelly's departure and that he would be staying in Eugene Sunday night. "I don't know what to say ... he changed his mind," one source said via text message.
Further ...
One report from a Portland radio station Sunday stated that Kelly was "working to finalize a deal that would make him head coach of the Tampa Bay Bucs,” and the Tampa Bay Tribune wrote that the Glazer family had met with Kelly last week and “both Kelly and the Bucs are proceeding down a path they mutually hope will result in an agreement in the next 24-48 hours."
Early Monday morning, the Eugene Register Guard reported simply that the deal “was done.” But apparently, soon after he had made a decision, he reversed course and decided to stay in Eugene. "His heart is with college football and Oregon and he's no longer being considered," general manager Mark Dominik told the Tampa Bay Times.
The person who is probably most disappointed by this news:
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