Reports: Chip Kelly Has a Change of Heart, Will Stay at Oregon

Chip Kelly will remain the head coach at Oregon and will turn down an opportunity to coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The news was reported just as Oregon newspapers were already in the printing cycle for Monday, with some papers already running with a story confirming Kelly would accept the Tampa Bay job.

The Register-Guard's Adam Jude reports that Kelly had a change of heart late Sunday night.

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"University of Oregon football coach Chip Kelly told a highly placed UO source late Sunday night that he has reversed course and decided to turn down an offer from the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The source told The Register-Guard earlier Sunday night that Kelly had reached an agreement to become Tampa Bay’s head coach. “It’s done,” the source said.

Just before midnight, Kelly changed his mind, telling the source: “I’m staying.”

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Kelly was thought to be leaving at a time when the NCAA could be preparing to drop some sanctions on the Oregon football program as a result of an investigation in to alleged recruiting violations.

Kelly may one day change his mind again, but for now he will remain in Eugene, Ore., in hopes of keeping the Ducks on top of the PAC-12 moving forward, with or without NCAA sanctions.

Kevin McGuire is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook and add him to your Google+ circle.