49ers Welcome Chip Kelly

Former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly hasn’t been out of a job for long – he’s been hired to replace Jim Tomsula at the San Francisco 49ers.

Niners CEO Jed York made the announcement on Thursday on Twitter:

Kelly beat off competition from former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan to land the coveted position in San Francisco. Kelly was controversially fired from his job at the Eagles on December 30 after three seasons with Philadelphia.

San Francisco went 5-11 this season under first-year coach Tomsula and missed the playoffs for the second straight time. Tomsula was fired on January 3 after taking over for Jim Harbaugh, who left after the 2014 season in what the team called a “mutual” parting.

Kelly made his NFL coaching debut with Philadelphia after a highly successful stint at the University of Oregon, leading a team that had gone 4-12 the previous year to a 10-6 record and an NFC East division title.

But the Eagles missed the playoffs the next year after a 9-3 start and stumbled to 6-9 this past season, Kelly’s first after wresting full control of personnel decisions during the off-season. Overall, they were 7-12 in his last 19 games.

Kelly will be formally introduced next week.

The 49ers are hopeful that Kelly, widely known as an offensive innovator, can help resurrect the career of quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has struggled mightily since coming off the bench midway through the 2012 season to lead the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII.

Kaepernick, 28, was benched for former first-round pick Blaine Gabbert in November.

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Eagles Say Goodbye to Mr Chip

The Philadelphia Eagles fired Chip Kelly with one game left in his third season, dumping the coach after missing the playoffs in consecutive years.

Kelly was released Tuesday night just before the end of a disappointing season that began with Super Bowl expectations. The Eagles are 6-9 after going 10-6 in each of Kelly’s first two seasons. They were eliminated from playoff contention after losing to Washington at home on Saturday night.

Eagles CEO Jeffrey Lurie issued a one-sentence statement to the media, saying he appreciates Kelly’s contributions and wishes him success going forward.

Lurie told fans in an email that he decided to make a change after “evaluating the many factors involved in our performance as a team.”

The Eagles also fired Ed Marynowitz, who was vice president of player personnel.

Kelly made several bold moves that backfired after assuming full control of personnel decisions last off season. Since March 2014, he released three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson, traded two-time All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy, didn’t re-sign 2014 Pro Bowl wideout Jeremy Maclin, cut two-time Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis and traded quarterback Nick Foles and a 2016 second-round draft pick for Sam Bradford.

He also gave big money in free agency to running back DeMarco Murray and cornerback Byron Maxwell. Murray has been a bust and Maxwell has underperformed.

Kelly replaced Andy Reid and led the Eagles to an NFC East title in 2013 after they were 4-12 a year earlier. The Eagles lost at home to New Orleans in the playoffs and missed the postseason in 2014 after starting 9-3.

They were 7-12 in Kelly’s last 19 games.

Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur will coach the team in the season finale at the New York Giants on Sunday.

Lurie told fans President Don Smolenski and Howie Roseman, the executive vice president of football operations, will assist him in the search for a new coach.

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Detroit Lions Rout Eagles

Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson combined for one of the best games of their careers, helping the surging Detroit Lions send the Philadelphia Eagles reeling.

Stafford tied a career high with five touchdown passes. Three of them were to Johnson, who also tied a personal best, in a 45-14 rout of Philadelphia on Thursday.

The Lions (4-7) have won three straight this season and three in a row in their annual Thanksgiving game. The Eagles (4-7) are on a three-game losing streak. They have allowed at least 45 points in two straight games in one season for the first time in team history.

Stafford threw for more than 200 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover by halftime, helping the Lionslead 24-7. He finished 27 of 38 for 337 yards and threw five TDs for the fourth time in his career. Johnson had eight catches for 93 yards and three TDs, matching his career high set in 2010.

After not throwing to Johnson much early in the game, Stafford started connecting with the star receiver. The Eagles couldn’t do much about it, especially when starting cornerback Nolan Carroll left the game with a broken right ankle and was replaced by rookie Eric Rowe.

Stafford threw a 25-yard pass high in the end zone, where only the 6ft 5in Johnson could catch it, to put Detroit ahead 24-7 with 12 seconds left in the first half. The quarterback seems to be clicking with the plays called by offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, who replaced the fired Joe Lombardi a month ago.

Taking advantage of Johnson in one-on-one coverage, Stafford threw 4- and 3-yard TD passes to Johnson in the third quarter.

Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez started in place of Sam Bradford, who was inactive with a shoulder injury. Sanchez completed 19 of 27 passes for 199 yards and two TDs.

Sanchez was able to connect with receivers when he had time, but that didn’t happen very often.

Detroit’s Ezekiel Ansah had a career-high four sacks, one of which forced a fumble by Sanchez. The Lions had six sacks as a team, equaling a season high.

After the Lions punted on their first drive, they did whatever they wanted on offense. Stafford started the scoring barrage with an eight-yard pass to Theo Riddick, who made a sharp move to the inside to get away from linebacker Mychal Kendricks late in the opening quarter.

The Eagles tied the game on the ensuing possession when Sanchez capped an 80-yard drive with a 2-yard pass to Brent Celek early in the second quarter.

Stafford threw a go-ahead, 2-yard TD midway through the second quarter to Golden Tate, who lined up as a fullback and went to the flat where he caught the ball and stopped, letting safety Walter Thurmond run past him.

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Cole Agrees Eagles Extension

The Philadelphia Eagles have agreed a contract extension with star defensive end Trent Cole that will keep him with the team through the 2017 season.

The two-time Pro Bowler becomes the second Eagles player to ink an extension in in recent days, with linebacker Todd Herremans also committing for another three years on Tuesday.

Cole posted a fourth straight double-digit sack campaign last season, taking down the quarterback 11 times in total.

His 68 sacks since being drafted in the fifth round in 2005 make him the third most prolific pass rusher in Eagles history behind only Reggie White (124) and Clyde Simmons (76).

"We are excited to be able to sign Trent to a new contract. Trent plays the game with a level of tenacity that's hard to replicate," Philadelphia head coach Andy Reid said.

"He's one of the premier defensive ends in the league. We have always said that when you watch the tape of him, it's hard to tell the difference between his first play and his last play.

"He has an unbelievable motor that does not stop. And as good as he is rushing the passer, he is equally as good against the run. His energy is contagious on the field."

The Indianapolis Colts has also looked to have retained the services of one of their star players after they reportedly re-signed Reggie Wayne to a three-year deal.

It was thought that Wayne could follow the like of Pierre Garcon and Dallas Clark out of Indianapolis as the Colts start a rebuilding process, but is instead set to stay with the Colts.