Eagles CEO says coach following Kelly needs people skills

A day after firing Chip Kelly with one game remaining in a disappointing season, CEO Jeffrey Lurie made it clear he wants a coach who can relate to his players and everyone else in the building.

“I’m grateful to Jeffrey Lurie for allowing me to coach his Philadelphia Eagles for the past three seasons,” Kelly said.

Kelly didn’t have close relationships with many of his players, and former Eagles running back LeSean McCoy and cornerback Brandon Boykin were critical of his personality after he traded them.

Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson, who was Kelly’s first draft pick, said his former coach was considered “unapproachable” by many players.

Kelly was fired after missing the playoffs for the second straight season and failing in his first year in charge of personnel.

Lurie said he fired Kelly based on an assessment of the last three years, not a string of recent losses.

Lurie acknowledged giving Kelly full control of personnel decisions last January was a mistake.

Until this point, Kelly had said it was Lurie’s decision not his to oversee all player moves.

Since March 2014, Kelly released three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson, traded 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 Bradford.