Chip Kelly is in denial.
The embattled Eagles coach fired back at reports saying USC had reached out to him over the Thanksgiving weekend, ESPN reported.
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"I've never spoken to anybody from USC," Kelly said. "I've never emailed anybody from USC, I've never had a phone call from anybody from USC.
"It's kind of sad. Everybody can just write whatever they want or say whatever they want, and everybody just takes it as the truth. It's the world we live in. If you have to sit there and combat everything that comes out, I think you're wasting time."
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Even Kelly would have to admit, however, that the timing of the reports and USC's decision to remove the interim tag from Clay Helton are a little too close together to be dismissed as purely coincidental.
NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported that the Trojans had reached out to Philadelphia's front man to say that they would be contacting him. Rapoport wouldn't be working for NFL.com if he were making that up out of thin air.
It's entirely possible, and maybe even probable, that USC sent its feeler out to Kelly through someone connected to the coach, the coached relayed a message back saying that he was not interested and then the Trojans moved on to Helton.
It's an unwritten rule for coaches not to comment specifically on job offers or organizational interest because the coaches don't want to put the organization in a situation where the coach it does hire is regarded as a second choice. And Kelly did not fire back about the rumors linking him to the Titans job, where his old Oregon quarterback, Marcus Mariota, awaits.
In fact, Kelly's comment was: "I've never discussed a college job since I came here."
It's natural to assume that Kelly, who was given total control over Philadelphia's personnel as well as coaching before the start of the season, wants time to show that his moves were warranted and made the franchise better.
But to say suggest that USC is in the dark as to his thoughts about returning to college coaching is also "kind of sad."
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