November 19, 2015
Rex Arbogast/AP
Chip Kelly arrived on the scene with the reputation of a gambler, so why is everyone upset when he gambles?
In the midst of a rocky third season as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, Chip Kelly appears to be planting roots that suggest he will stick around the area for the foreseeable future.
After initial reports surfaced last month of Kelly buying property in New Jersey, confirmation came this week when Crossing Broad got word that Kelly closed on a 4,500-square-foot residence in Haddonfield, New Jersey.
A description of the $1.1 million property lists luxury amenities such as a home movie theater (which he'll probably use to dissect film) and an indoor swimming pool. The residence, constructed in the 1940s, includes five bedrooms and three-quarters of an acre of land.
According to sources who spoke with Crossing Broad, Kelly's new place is just seven houses away from where quarterback Sam Bradford is renting a home.
In June, a Philadelphia judge ruled against Kelly in a $99,000 dispute over a lease at an Old City apartment. Left on the hook to pay back rent and an early termination fee – and a $20,000 security deposit – it seems Kelly would prefer home ownership this time around.
News of the purchase is a good sign for those who believe in Kelly after his honeymoon period in Philadelphia has ended. The Eagles (4-5) next face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5), who actually offered Kelly a head coaching job in 2012. Kelly explained to The Tampa Tribune that at the time, he felt the right move was to remain at Oregon. Had he left, the Bucs would have avoided the disaster that was Greg Schiano, who formerly coached the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
While it's no guarantee the new home means Kelly is a lock to remain in Philadelphia for the kind of tenure Andy Reid enjoyed, his choice should put to rest some of the whispers about a return to college football or a reunion with Marcus Mariota in Tennessee.
