Could Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly be a racist? Stephen A. Smith seems to think so. On his show First Take, Smith was discussing the recent roster moves the Eagles have been making in the offseason. He specifically noted instances of Kelly releasing or trading away big-time black players and retaining not-so-big-time white players. And not just any white player. Riley Cooper in particular, who we’re all familiar with…and not because of his skills on the football field.
“Chip Kelly makes decisions over the last couple of years that, dare I say, leave a few brothers feeling uncomfortable,” Smith said on the ESPN program. “I think that’s fair to say. I mean, we’re sitting here looking at some of the decisions that Chip Kelly makes and I’m like what is up? What’s up with that? I mean, it’s like you’ve got to be his kind of guy, you know? And I’m like, well, Riley Cooper’s your kind of guy?”
“Let’s get beyond the system, the operative word is ‘culture,’” he continued. “The culture is what resonates with me more profoundly because I’m looking at Chip Kelly and I’m like, really? Now, you’ve got to remember, where did I work for 16 years? I mean, this is Philadelphia. You understand what I’m saying? I’m always in Philly, and I’m telling you right now you’ve got people walking the streets and, hell with it, you’ve got brothers walking the streets going like ‘What’s up with Chip? I don’t understand this. I really don’t understand what you’re doing.’ Now I’m not saying I know, I’m just saying that it does strike me as a tad bit odd. I’m going to repeat this. Gone: LeSean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin, you know, DeSean Jackson. Staying: Riley Cooper. Really? Really? OK.”
While Stephen A. Smith does have a point, there are still plenty of African-American players on the team who haven’t been let go. But it does seem a little strange that Kelly would get rid of some of the team’s best players, who also just happen to be African-American, for no apparent reason. So could Chip Kelly be a racist? It’s possible. But maybe he just didn’t see the likes of McCoy, Maclin, and Jackson fitting into his offensive scheme. Or maybe, better yet, Coach Kelly has no idea at all what he’s doing with his roster…I mean, he did just trade Nick Foles for Sam Bradford and his two ACL injuries. So really, who knows?
Chip Kelly has yet to respond to Stephen A. Smith.
