More from Autzen Zoo
- Oregon football: Ducks and Coach Prime playing it cordial leading up to Saturday
- Oregon Basketball: Non-conference slate features Michigan coming to Eugene
- Oregon football: Ducks find complete game effort in win vs Hawaii
- Oregon Ducks must get run game going against Hawaii
- 8 Pac-12 teams represented in Associated Press Top 25 after Week 2
Despite being only two games back of the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans for first place in the middling AFC South, the Tennessee Titans felt it was a suitable time to sack head coach Ken Whisenhunt. The Titans, who are one win shy of tying last year’s win total, are experiencing the type of season you expected them to have. 2015 Second overall draft pick Marcus Mariota has shown glimpses of promise but is now sidelined with an injury.
Apart from the obvious upgrade at the quarterback position, the Titans still lack quality at virtually every other position, hence why they won just two games last season. And now Whisenhunt is gone because, in the NFL, teams go through personnel changes like Taylor Swift goes through boyfriends. So it goes.
Being that the Titans’ future success relies heavily on Mariota, management is going to want to bring in a coach who can coincide with Mariota’s skill set and mentor him into the franchise quarterback he’s billed to be. Of course, we all knew that the moment Whisenhunt was let go, the Chip Kelly to Tennessee rumors would run rampant. Many are now speculating and hoping (mainly Oregon fans) for Kelly and Mariota to reunite in the NFL to unleash the spread offense like never before seen. Kelly must be chomping at the bits to leave Philadelphia for Tennessee, right? The Titans must be getting ready to offer anything and everything for Kelly’s services, right? It’s a lovely hypothetical that would undoubtedly be entertaining to say the least. But as intriguing as a situation as it may be for Oregon fans, the probability of the deal taking place is unlikely.
First off, the Titans make Kelly’s current Eagles look like the ’99 Rams. The Eagles have underperformed thus far this season but are still in a position to contend for the NFC East title for years to come. More importantly, Eagles’ management have given Kelly the power he so desperately desires. Remember Chip’s questionable moves this past summer? Would he be allowed to do that in Tennessee? Unlikely.
From the Titans’ perspective, reeling in Chip Kelly would likely come at a high cost, as in draft picks, which are commodities the Titans can’t afford to waste. Oh, and the Titans aren’t under any circumstances even entertaining the idea of dealing Mariota. The Titans wouldn’t take the Eagles’ entire team in exchange for Mariota.
Whisenhunt’s predecessor could turn the Titans into a contender and Marcus Mariota into a Pro Bowl quarterback. It just won’t be Chip Kelly.