Sacked Eagles boss Kelly hired as new 49ers head coach
>> SAN FRANCISCO: Chip Kelly, fired last month as coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, was hired on Thursday as the new coach of the San Francisco 49ers, charged with rebuilding a team that went 5-11 last season.
Team chief executive Jed York tweeted the news that he and 49ers general manager Trent Baalke had selected Kelly, whose Eagles went 7-9 last season, to replace the fired Jim Tomsula.
“After a thorough search, Trent and I are thrilled to announce Chip Kelly as the new #HeadCoach of the @49ers,” York tweeted.
Kelly, 52, coached the Eagles to a 26-21 record over the past three NFL seasons before being fired on Dec 29. Before that, he went 46-7 in four seasons coaching the University of Oregon.
Kelly took a Philadelphia squad that went 4-12 in 2012 and went 10-6 to win the NFC East division crown and reach the first round of the play-offs. The Eagles went 10-6 again in his second season but missed the play-offs in 2014.
But after being given total control of player personnel last season, Kelly struggled and was fired before the Eagles’ final game of the season.
After a dismal campaign in which the 49ers had the worst scoring offensive unit in the NFL, Kelly will be tasked with revitalising San Francisco’s attack. The Eagles averaged 26.9 points and nearly 400 yards a game under Kelly.
Meanwhile, Ben McAdoo, the New York Giants offensive coordinator for the past two NFL seasons, was promoted to head coach on Thursday, team chairman Steve Tisch announced.
The Giants stayed within the staff to replace Tom Coughlin, who stepped down last week after 12 seasons in the post.
McAdoo, at 38, will be the secondyoungest head coach in the NFL, one year older than Miami’s Adam Gase.
McAdoo’s promotion means the Giants will keep the same offensive schemes for quarterback Eli Manning as this past season, when they went 6-10 — allowing the third-most points of any team in the NFL campaign.
“I’m honoured,” McAdoo said. “It has been a privilege to work and learn under coach Coughlin. I have been preparing for this moment my entire professional life.”