LeSean McCoy Doesn’t Like Chip Kelly

LeSean McCoy doesn’t like his former coach, Chip Kelly. McCoy was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Buffalo Bills and he wasn’t happy with how the trade went down. Most specifically, he thought Kelly should have called and told him beforehand. Now McCoy holds a grudge and says he won’t shake hands with Kelly when the two teams meet on Sunday.

For his part, Kelly understands and admits that the transaction was poorly coordinated. The coach suggests that the trade “wasn’t handled right” because he “did not get an opportunity to talk to him”. According to Kelly, the trade was worked out the day before it was approved by the NFL and the Eagles and Bills agreed not to inform the players involved until it was approved by the league office. Somehow the news broke that night, McCoy found out second hand and he’s held a grudge ever since. Kelly tried to do the right thing too late: “I called him. He didn’t answer my phone call. I know he was pissed, and he should be pissed and rightly so.”

Kelly gave the example of a trade that was properly coordinated: the trade of Nick Foles to the St. Louis Rams for Sam Bradford. Kelly details how he and Rams coach Jeff Fisher worked it out: “Jeff and me were both on the phone together and said, ‘All right, when are you going to make the call? Let’s call now.'” When we’ve done our phone calls with our players, text each other. He texted me he was done. I texted him I was done. I then called Sam. He then called Nick.”

McCoy’s trade should have been handled the same way according to Kelly and he says that the running back is due an apology: “That’s the way it should have been done. It wasn’t handled that way with LeSean. I understand why he’s unhappy about it, and he should not be happy about it. That’s why I would apologize for that. It did not happen the right way.”

Kelly says that he’ll understand if McCoy doesn’t want to shake his hand after Sunday’s game but he’ll be receptive if he does.