LeSean McCoy Vents About Former Coach Chip Kelly, Questions Treatment Of Black Players

Probably the biggest trade of the offseason was the Eagles getting rid of LeSean McCoy for the unproven linebacker Kiko Alonso. But Chip Kelly, aka the mad scientist, liked the defensive player since coaching him at Oregon. And as most of his moves have shown, he truly believes in the bigger picture.

But what does McCoy think about this? He is Pennsylvania kid, born and raised. He played college ball at Pittsburgh and then played his entire career as an Eagle. Well, in the latest issue of ESPN: The Magazine, they asked him about this.

“To be honest, I didn’t want to come,” McCoy talked about the trade. “I really didn’t. I was so angry at first. You take a guy who’s made his whole name and career in Philadelphia and move him. I didn’t know anything about Buffalo, so I didn’t want to go. But when you sit back and you really analyze just the good things here, it makes a lot of things better.”

But probably the most surprising thing he said was about his former coach Chip Kelly. “The relationship was never really great. I feel like I always respected him as a coach. I think that’s the way he runs his team. He wants the full control. You see how fast he got rid of all the good players. Especially all the good black players. He got rid of them the fastest. That’s the truth. There’s a reason… It’s hard to explain with him. But there’s a reason he got rid of all the black players — the good ones — like that.”

Now, this is a bold statement, but there are arguments that could be made for both sides. For instance, the Eagles signed DeMarco Murray in free agency, but also look at the mistreatment of DeSean Jackson, which was wrong. For now, his comment, in my opinion, felt like a shot at the coach, rather than an actual indictment of his practices.

Again, this probably sheds more light on Chip’s coaching style, which is very bluntly ‘my way or the highway.’ Players are not always going to like him and this comment shows that him and McCoy did not see eye-to-eye, making his trade at least semi-understandable.

Still, he claimed that “I have no hatred toward [Chip], nothing to say negative about him.” He is just excited for the season and cannot wait to take on the Eagles in December. “I do love the Eagles’ fans,” McCoy added. ‘I have nothing but great memories there, so I’m excited to go back. I’m sure that they’ll show me some love. I have nothing but love for that city.”

As for Bills head coach Rex Ryan on these comments, “I’m not going to put a muzzle on any of our players. We’re not saying here’s the stance of our football team. We’re not always going to be lined up.”

Needless to say, circle Dec. 13 on your calender because it will be a game worth watching.