:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45869282/usa-today-8171253.0.jpg)
Eagles head coach Chip Kelly was provided a wealth of information during a surprise media appearance on Wednesday afternoon. One of the topics he touched on was the restructure of power in the Eagles front office. According to Kelly, it was Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie who made the call on "promoting" Howie Roseman out of his general manager role and placing Kelly in charge of player personnel. Here's how he explained what happened, via Birds 24/7:
"I didn't think I needed control of personnel. That was a decision that our owner made. So I just had a meeting with him like I do at the end of every year in terms of the direction of what we're doing and how do we go from being a 10-6 team to a team that can win the Super Bowl. And that was a decision that Jeffrey made."
Kelly was later asked about his involvement in Philadelphia's draft process the past two years. According to Kelly, he didn't have final say on the picks made.
Chip Kelly says he didn’t have final say in the draft the past two years.
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) March 11, 2015
This claim certainly seems curious considering the team's penchant for drafting PAC-12 players (including two Oregon Ducks) in those drafts. If Kelly didn't have final say, it appears like he sure had a heavy level of influence.
Except when it came to the Marcus Smith pick, perhaps. Kelly hardly spoke of Smith glowingly during the season and the first round rookie only played a total of 105 snaps on the season. Kelly specifically said that Roseman had the final call on that pick, just like he did all of the other ones.
Chip Kelly: Howie Roseman had final say on the Marcus Smith pick.
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) March 11, 2015
Kelly doesn't seem to be lying considering there was a report that he wanted Jordan Matthews in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
Moving forward, there won't be any ambiguity on who made the picks. It's up to Kelly from here on out.