Chip Kelly Is Setting Up His Philosophy for the Ultimate Test

In the NFL, the head coach is the most important man in the building. He's the guy who sets the tone for the players, scouts, management, even the secretaries at the front desk when you walk into the facility.

It's on the coach to manage unique personalities, build team chemistry, handle adversity and find guys who fit his "program," from the standpoint of skill set and professionalism.

That's what Chip Kelly is trying to do right now in Philadelphia.

Kelly is a coach who goes against the old school, from the way his team practices to the schedule they set in the building to the style of play they show on the field. Now that he has a role in personnel decisions, it shows up there, too. His style is, well, different than what players have experienced with other teams, which mostly follow a pretty standard script.

That won't mesh with some players. We've seen it with veterans, and now it's happening with free agents. 

According to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, running back Frank Gore flipped on the Eagles after giving a somewhat verbal commitment to the team. Gore changed his mind for multiple reasons, from the contract to the talent on the field in Philadelphia after the Eagles let Jeremy Maclin walk in free agency. But from the perspective of how vets view Kelly's club, this really stood out from Garafolo's report:

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A source said Gore also indicated to a friend he was concerned with what he heard about Kelly's overbearing approach in Philly. Kelly's intense, no-nonsense approach—which has helped make him successful throughout his college and professional coaching career—initially rubbed [LeSean] McCoy the wrong way, though McCoy and Kelly were able to patch up their relationship for a good part of their two seasons together. However, receiver DeSean Jackson and cornerback Cary Williams were among those who didn't mesh well with Kelly's philosophy, and Williams indicated Kelly's lengthy, up-tempo practices were an issue for veterans who wanted to rest their bodies during the week."

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This isn't uncommon with some veteran players in the NFL. Players talk with their peers about coaches, personnel departments and how a team is run. Word travels fast, and teams can fall to the bottom of the list for free agents because of the negative opinions that follow the coach.

But that doesn't mean Kelly's style of coaching or building a program is necessarily wrong, as the narratives out there this week seem to suggest.

Now, I question Kelly's ability to just slide guys into his offense. Systems are for colleges and high schools, where you can out-scheme opponents. That's simply not the case in the NFL. You need players, talent and impact guys to win on Sundays. The playbooks are secondary, and Kelly's system will be tested this upcoming season.

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We'll see if Kelly's offense can continue producing numbers with Sam Bradford after two straight seasons that ended early with knee injuries for the quarterback. Maybe he's the right guy for this system. Who knows? But without McCoy or a true No. 1 wide receiver like Maclin who can scare opposing secondaries, is there enough talent for the system to work? There are plenty of holes on this team after Kelly's recent moves, and the coach has a lot of work to do through free agency and the draft to restock the roster. 

The former Oregon guys Kelly keeps scooping up? I went through that in Washington with Steve Spurrier and the Florida guys that kept getting opportunities to play for the Redskins. I'm not a big fan of it, but I also understand why Spurrier did it and why Kelly is bringing back his guys from the college level.

He is trying to create a specific football atmosphere, with players who understand how to practice, prepare and play to his standards. They can be used as examples for the rest of the team, and he also knows what he is getting in terms of the football make-up from the former Ducks.

Does it equal wins? Sure—if those Oregon guys can play.

There's also the dynamic of Kelly doubling-up as head coach and decision-maker when it comes to the roster. I played for Mike Sherman when he was doing that in Green Bay, and it's a pretty fine line to walk. That can get a little tricky when the head coach is trying to put together a game plan, manage the team and make decisions on personnel.

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The point here is that Kelly is creating his own path in the NFL and making bold moves to find players that fit his philosophy. Maybe it flames out and he ends up back at the college level again. Or maybe this is a new way of building a team in the NFL that produces consistent winning seasons—a blueprint other teams will eventually follow to break the stubborn way of doing things in the pros.

I don't know that yet. No one does after only two seasons in the NFL.

But I will say this: Kelly has to sell his program. That's really the bottom line with pro players. Give them a reason to buy in and Kelly can push them extremely hard while demanding accountability in the building—regardless of his approach to putting together a winner. 

And if that happens, maybe Kelly's way of running a team will become the new standard. 

Seven-year NFL veteran Matt Bowen is an NFL national Lead Writer for Bleacher Report.

Follow @MattBowen41