The Philadelphia Eagles are still trying to figure out a plan of action when it comes to wide receiver Riley Cooper and the recent video of using a racial slur at a Kenny Chesney concert. Cooper has released several apologies about the incident and has been backed up by several of his teammates, but he currently still remains the elephant in the room and Chip Kelly must figure out what to do, quickly.
Kelly admitted over the weekend that the locker room was at odds over Cooper's situation. While several teammates accepted his apology, others said they would have a hard time respecting his actions off the field. The first-year head coach is now seeking out advice from former head coaches about the best was to solve the issue.
Peter King reported in his "Monday Morning Quarterback" column that Kelly has reached out to Tony Dungy to help with the Cooper situation.
"I told him to trust his instincts,'' Dungy said Sunday night. "He can use this as a teaching moment, and his decision could pull this team together.''
This is not the first time that Kelly has reached out to Dungy for advice. The coach had a similar tough situation while in Oregon when running back LaGarrette Blount punched a Boise State player after a loss. It was Kelly's first year in Oregon and he decided to suspend Blount for the post-game hit. A month later after the running back apologized, Kelly allowed Blount to rejoin the team. Dungy advised Kelly throughout the whole ordeal.
The result ended up being a rehabbed image of Blount. It allowed the running back to get drafted by Tampa Bay where he put up a rookie-high 1,007 rushing yards. If it were not for a second chance, Blount would have never seen an NFL field.
"Chip could have kicked Blount to the curb," Dungy told King. "He chose to believe in him. And it worked out. With Riley Cooper, this kid made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. The big issue, too, is the alcohol. That has to be dealt with. But Chip will make the right decision. He doesn't care what the popular opinion. He cares about what's right."
The reaction to Cooper has been very strong, leaving the Eagles at odds over what to do. Currently, the wide receiver has been excused from team activities to receive counseling. Many wonder if he will be back with the team or not. Cooper has reportedly received several death threats over social media. The wide receiver is expected to play a larger role in the offense this year if he remains with the team.