Report: Jacksonville considered Kelly for coaching job

Ex-49ers boss said to have been brought in before Marrone hiring

Chip Kelly was fired after just one season as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, but that didn’t stop one team from bringing him in for an interview.

According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Jacksonville Jaguars interviewed the former Philadelphia Eagles coach before hiring Doug Marrone to fill their head coaching vacancy.

The Jaguars had interviewed five known candidates in addition to Marrone: Tom Coughlin (whom they hired as executive vice president), Harold Goodwin, Mike Smith, Kyle Shanahan and Josh McDaniels. No word why the team chose to keep their interview with Kelly under the radar.

Back in 2006, when Coughlin was still head coach of the New York Giants, he offered Kelly a job on his staff. Kelly turned it down, opting instead to remain as the offensive coordinator at New Hampshire.

“It was a great job, but it wasn’t the right job at the right time,” Kelly said of the opportunity. He was later hired by Oregon in 2007 and became head coach in 2009.

Kelly was fired after the 49ers’ season-ending loss to the Seahawks. The team, which went 2-14 under Kelly, set a franchise record with 13 consecutive losses and ended the year at the bottom of the league in most offensive categories.

With every other vacancy around the league filled (except the 49ers), it looks like Kelly will either have to consider an offensive coordinator position or head back to college, something he told Fox Sports reporter Bruce Feldman at the beginning of the month he was open to.

“I evaluate all jobs individually,” Kelly said. “I wouldn’t rule anything out. I never said I’m only looking at one thing.”

Kelly went 26-21 in three seasons as head coach of the Eagles.

Miscellany: Despite concerns raised after sustaining season-ending neck injuries in consecutive years, Bills starting safety Aaron Williams is preparing to resume his playing career, the player’s father told The Associated Press. “He’s leaning toward coming back,” Anthony Williams said by phone. “We’ll take it slow and go from there.” Williams said his son intends to make a formal announcement in the near future.

Rams: New Coach Sean McVay is working quickly to put together his staff. Veteran defensive coordinator Wade Phillips already is in place, and people with knowledge of the situation said that Joe Barry has agreed to terms to become linebackers coach and assistant head coach. Barry, 46, a one-time 49ers assistant, was the Washington Redskins’ defensive coordinator the last two seasons. He was fired Jan. 5, along with two other assistants, after the Redskins defense finished 28th in the NFL for the second consecutive season.