Eagles fire coach Chip Kelly
The Philadelphia Eagles announced they have released coach Chip Kelly from his contract.
“We appreciate all the contributions that Chip Kelly made and wish him every success going forward,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement released by the team on Tuesday.
Pat Shurmur will take over as interim head coach for the Eagles’ regular-season finale against the New York Giants this Sunday. Vice president of player personnel Ed Marynowitz was also released, with veteran NFL personnel man Tom Donahoe taking over as senior director of player personnel.
Kelly was 26-21 in three seasons with the Eagles after signing a five-year, $32.5 million contract to leave the University of Oregon in 2013. He turned around a team that went 4-12 in 2012 as Philadelphia went 10-6 in his first season and won the NFC East.
Philadelphia lost 26-24 to the New Orleans Saints on a last-second field goal in the first round of the playoffs in what would prove to be Kelly’s only postseason appearance with the franchise. The Eagles again finished 10-6 last season, but missed out on the postseason.
Kelly orchestrated a massive offseason overhaul, parting ways with star running back LeSean McCoy among several other veterans, and traded quarterback Nick Foles to St. Louis for Sam Bradford.
Jaguars stick with coach Bradley
The Jacksonville Jaguars announced Tuesday in a statement that head coach Gus Bradley will be retained for next season.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan confirmed that Bradley will be back for a fourth season but that the expectations with be higher in 2016.
Bradley has a 12-35 in three seasons with the Jaguars, who are 5-10 this season going into their final game on Sunday against the Houston Texans.
UMaine football players receive ECAC honors
ORONO, Maine — University of Maine football standouts Trevor Bates, Bruce Johnson and Pat Ricard have been named ECAC Division I Football Football Championship Subdivision All-Stars, as voted on by representatives from the Division’s member institutions.
Bates was named to the All-ECAC first team at defensive end while Johnson (center) and Ricard (defensive line) earned spots on the ECAC second team.
Ohio State’s Elliott unaware licence suspended
Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott was unaware that he had a suspended driver’s license last weekend when he was involved in a car accident near the team’s practice facility in Columbus, Ohio.
The junior was cited for three misdemeanors after he lost control of his father’s car on wet pavement and collided with another vehicle on Sunday before the seventh-ranked Buckeyes left for the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona. Elliott and the driver of the other car were not injured.
Elliott’s Illinois had license expired and he said he was using his passport for photo ID after losing his wallet. He is not subject to any disciplinary action from the university and will play in Friday’s Fiesta Bowl game against No. 6 Notre Dame at University of Phoenix Stadium.
ESPN reported that Elliott received a speeding ticket on May 13 and didn’t show up in court or pay the fine, resulting in him being taken to collections and his registration blocked on Dec. 3.
Elliott was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2015 after rushing for 1,672 yards and 19 touchdowns on 262 carries.
Utah’s Burks to have surgery
Utah Jazz guard Alec Burks was to undergo surgery in Salt Lake City to aid the healing process of his broken left leg.
Dr. Charles L. Saltzman, an ankle and foot specialist who is chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics at University of Utah Health Care, was to perform the procedure. Burks was injured during a fall in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 23. The team said Burks will stay in Salt Lake City for rehabilitation and then will go with the Jazz on road trips after he receives clearance from the medical staff.
Burks, a fifth-year guard, was averaging a career-high 14.3 points and a career-best 38.7 percent on 3-point shooting and also 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 28 games. His 14.4 points per game as a reserve rank third in the NBA.
Young agrees to minor league deal with Brewers
Veteran infielder/outfielder Eric Young Jr. reached agreement on a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday.
The deal includes an invitation to spring training and would be worth $1 million should Young make the roster to open the season, ESPN.com reported.
Young spent time with the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves and in the minor leagues last season, batting just .153 in the major leagues with no home runs and five RBIs in 85 at-bats. He contributed three stolen bases for the National League champion Mets after a trade on Aug. 22.