Chip Kelly does not want to hear the word 'rebuilding.' As the former University of Oregon coach steps in to new territory with the Philadelphia Eagles, he is aware of the challenges that face him. The Eagles had a disappointing 2012 after once proclaiming to have the "Dream Team" of the NFL. Numerous players of that team have since departed as did head coach Andy Reid and Kelly is left to reassemble the pieces.
"Do we expected to go 46-7 over the next whatever years? No," Kelly said. "I know it's extremely difficult to win in this league. You just look at everybody's record over the history of the game. It is a different game from that standpoint. But that's part of it. That's the challenge."
The Eagles missed the playoffs back-to-back years, leading to the dismissal of Reid. They finished 2012 going 4-12 with a disappointing loss to the New York Giants to end the year. After saying goodbye to several defensive stars, the team is starting a new chapter, but according to Kelly, they are not rebuilding.
"We're not writing anything off. We're going out there to compete and see how it falls. If I went in the locker room and said this is going to be a really good year for us to get for the following year, that's not going to work," Kelly said.
That mindset will being in training camp with a highly publicized quarterback competition between Michael Vick and Nick Foles. Kelly is notoriously slow on naming a starting quarterback. During his time in Oregon, he very rarely released a depth chart any earlier than a week before the season starts. He plans on taking the same attitude with the Eagles.
"We're going to have to name a starter at some point in time," Kelly told Philly.com. "That's why I think it would be unfair right now, because there hasn't been enough situations to evaluate. If someone said, 'Hey, we have to play a game tomorrow,' we have to make a decision. But we don't have to play a game tomorrow. We have until September 9."
It is that attitude that has Vick feeling restless. The quarterback has expressed his displeasure over the competition. He feels it is important to name a starter so the team can begin to build chemistry and a rhythm on offense prior to the season beginning.
Kelly is in no rush and is perfectly content with just letting the situation work itself out. When a guy steps up as the true starter, then Kelly will call it.