Chip Kelly: Criticism From Widener Football Coach Was 'Misguided'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- Chip Kelly fired back at Widener football coach Mike Kelly---obviously, no relation---on Monday.
Mike Kelly criticized Chip Kelly of helping an Oregon Division III school, Linfield College, beat Widener after Linfield was allowed to practice at the Eagles' indoor practice facility.
Linfield destroyed Widener 45-7 in the D-III national quarterfinal.
"Make sure you put in the paper that we thank Chip Kelly and I hope the Seahawks do well tomorrow," Mike Kelly said on Saturday. "He was helping them out. Maybe somebody in Philadelphia ought to buy him a map so he knows where he lives now. But, go Seahawks."
Chip Kelly seemed ticked off by those comments.
"Obviously they lost the game, but I think it [the criticism] was a little misguided," Kelly told Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Show. "Joe Smith, who coaches Linfield College program, I know him. They have an outstanding program. We allow people to use our facility all the time. When Navy played Temple they practiced here. I know the coaches at Navy and they are great people. When West Chester was in the playoffs last year, and they had some bad weather, they came over and practiced here. St. Joe's Prep has used our facility. A lot of people have. I know that staff."
Listen to Chip Kelly on the 94WIP Morning Show:
Kelly continued, explaining a horrific situation involving the Linfield College football program.
"I don't think people realize this," Kelly continued. "Less than a month ago, they had one of their players killed in a random act of violence. He just went to the store and got stabbed by some guy in a senseless thing."
"You can Google Joe Smith's letter to his team, and it was a real moving thing," he continued. "This sport is about leadership and teaching people the lessons you can learn in life. There is not a classier guy than Joe Smith. I was at his practice for five minutes, I'm not allowed to watch practice, but I went down to see him, tell him how much I admired him, and tell him I was honored to let him use the facility. Anytime we can help a team out we do."
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