Eagles head coach Chip Kelly is in denial mode.
Kelly met the media Wednesday and was peppered with questions that focused primarily on what looks like the latest failed fray into free agency for in Philadelphia: running back DeMarco Murray’s $42 million contract.
Kelly took 25 questions in his scheduled 10-minute press conference Wednesday and 22 were directly or indirectly related to Murray, who is last in the NFL in rushing average among players with 150 carries or more.
Reports surfaced Monday that Murray aired his frustration to Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie. Murray was on the field for only 14 of 50 offensive snaps at New England on Sunday. ESPN reported a meeting took place. Kelly denied that, if only on the basis of syntax.
“Yeah, that’s not what happened. He sat next to Mr. Lurie on the plane on the ride home,” Kelly said. “They were both sitting in first class and talked about the game and what happened with it. And then I’ve talked to DeMarco since then.”
“No, he was sitting next to Mr. Lurie on the plane. He didn’t go and request a meeting with the owner; I don’t know where that came from or how it was. But all of our players sit in first class when we travel, and when Mr. Lurie travels with us he sits in first class, so they were sitting next to each other.”
Kelly also denied he is calling the shots in personnel. He doesn’t have the title of general manager.
When he learned of Murray’s frustration, Kelly said he sought him out, and wasn’t surprised that a skill-position player would be disappointed not to get the ball more often.
“I’ve had a meeting with DeMarco, yeah. He’s frustrated because he didn’t get the ball a lot on Sunday, which most running backs are frustrated from that aspect. But he’s not frustrated that we beat the New England Patriots and we had a big win in New England,” Kelly said. “I think everybody is that way. Every receiver wants the ball; every running back wants the ball; every quarterback would like to throw every single time we have an opportunity. But the one thing I know about DeMarco, he’s about winning.”
Kelly was asked, as a follow-up, “Has he expressed concern about playing time prior to this week and shared those frustrations with you?”
The answer from Kelly: “No.”