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Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly addressed the media for the first time since the team released former Eagles star receiver DeSean Jackson earlier this offseason. Kelly appeared at Prince Hall School, along with other members of the Eagles, as part of the Eagles Youth Partnership annual playground build.
Here's what Kelly had to say.
Kelly says team decided to go in different direction at WR, had no trade takers, decided to let DeSean Jackson negotiate w/ 21 teams.
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) April 28, 2014
Kelly says Jackson was great in his year with Kelly ... Had nothing to do with anything off field ... Purely a football decision.
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) April 28, 2014
Kelly: We had no trade offers.
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) April 28, 2014
Kelly says he had no press conference when team released Jason Avant or any other player, shouldn't be different for Jackson.
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) April 28, 2014
Kelly: I'm not surprised we didn't get any trade offers for DeSean. #Eagles #EaglesTalk
— Matt Lombardo (@MattLombardo975) April 28, 2014
Chip denies reports he and DeSean had issue. Said other players didn't either. #Eagles
— Martin Frank (@Mfranknfl) April 28, 2014
Kelly: Am I worried he's in WASH? Am I worried? No. #Eagles
— Matt Lombardo (@MattLombardo975) April 28, 2014
Kelly said the #Eagles came back from owners meetings without any trade offers for DeSean and thus decided to release him.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) April 28, 2014
Chip said several times that he wouldn't go into exact details on why he cut DeSean. Said he doesn't detail why he cuts any player.
— Geoff Mosher (@GeoffMosherCSN) April 28, 2014
Chip said he never got in a shouting match with Jackson, had no issue with Jackson's work ethic
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) April 28, 2014
Kelly said that he was confident the #Eagles would be able replace DeSean's 82 catches for 1,300 yds.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) April 28, 2014
Eagles Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Lurie also spoke. His thoughts below:
#Eagles owner said Chip Kelly made it clear after the season that he wanted to go in another direction at wide receiver. DeSean wasn't a fit
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) April 28, 2014
Lurie: Chip Kelly knows exactly what he wants at each position and Jackson didn't fit that.
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) April 28, 2014
Lurie: I give Chip the benefit of the doubt.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) April 28, 2014
Jeff Lurie: "We're not afraid of any player going to a team in our division. Let's check back in three years and see where we're at."
— Bart Hubbuch (@HubbuchNYP) April 28, 2014