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Philadelphia Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie is in Arizona this week for the annual NFL owner's meetings. Lurie took the time to speak with a larger contingent of media on Tuesday afternoon. He touched on a number of topics.
One of the biggest talking points was the Eagles front office power structure change that took place early in 2015. The big theme Lurie kept repeating is that he wants to give Chip Kelly the best chance to succeed. Lurie felt giving Kelly the power over the player personnel department is the best way to "maximize" Kelly. The franchise will live or die by Kelly's decisions.
Lurie also discussed Howie Roseman and Tom Gamble. He noted that, despite being moved out of player personnel, Roseman is still a valuable contributor to the franchise. Lurie didn't really go into details when it came to Gamble but he indicated it was his call to let him go. Whether you believe what he had to say is your call.
Lurie says he simply changed his mind about Howie Roseman being GM. #Eagles
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) March 24, 2015
Lurie: It was all my call (on front office developments)... It's very difficult to go from good to great.
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) March 24, 2015
Lurie says Chip felt he could do a better job with his own personnel guy. #Eagles
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) March 24, 2015
Lurie: Howie is a very valuable member of the organization. He's a really sharp guy. ... He was a big part of the process of getting Chip
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) March 24, 2015
Lurie: There is no question that Chip has final say #Eagles
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) March 24, 2015
Lurie says Gamble firing unrelated to Chip getting control
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) March 24, 2015
Lurie says he wants to get the best out of Chip. Clearly he and Chip think Howie was getting in the way of that #Eagles
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) March 24, 2015
Lurie said Chip was "testing himself" in first 2 years working w/Howie, installing system. Then it became maximizing Chip's ability. #Eagles
— Martin Frank (@Mfranknfl) March 24, 2015
Lurie: When you're going from good to great, you have to take some gambles #Eagles
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) March 24, 2015
Lurie: Our whole thing is not to be satisfied with 10-6, 10-6.
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) March 24, 2015
Jeff Lurie clearly said #eagles HC Chip Kelly was part of the process to remove Howie Roseman as GM, and final say was Lurie
— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) March 24, 2015
Jeffrey Lurie: Chip Kelly wanted a "football guy" as his right hand man in personnel (Ed Marynowitz).
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) March 24, 2015
Jeffrey Lurie said that Tom Gamble's firing wasn't made on the spot. "It was a long time coming."
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) March 24, 2015