So much for Marcus Mariota.
Chip Kelly said it’s not going to happen. And it never was going to happen.
“Let’s dispel that right now,” Kelly said Wednesday. “You guys have been going with that, but that stuff’s crazy.”
So ends all the speculation, widely reported for months, that Kelly is willing to do just about anything to be reunited with Mariota, the Oregon Heisman Trophy winner who he coached in 2012.
Kelly, making a surprise appearance before media at the NovaCare Complex, said he would never trade a truckload of draft picks to move up like the Eagles would have to if they wanted to move up from 20th into the top five.
“Marcus is the best quarterback in the draft,” Kelly said. “But we will never mortgage our future to go all the way to get someone like that.”
Kelly said Sam Bradford, acquired from the Rams Tuesday in exchange for Nick Foles, will be the Eagles’ quarterback this fall, along with Mark Sanchez.
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Kelly said he didn’t want to trade Foles but had to in order to acquire Bradford.
“He’s 6-4, he’s smart, he’s intelligent, he’s one of the most accurate throwers when you see him throw the football,” Kelly said of Bradford.
“I think he’s wired right. We had some inside information because (Eagles offensive coordinator) Pat Shurmur had an opportunity to coach him for a year (with the Rams), and he understands how he’s wired.
“He’s an unbelievable competitor. I talked to Kevin Wilson, now head coach at Indiana, who was his offensive coordinator (at Oklahoma). I talked to (Oklahoma head coach) Bob Stoops, and they both said the kid’s wired right.”
Bradford’s last two seasons have ended with torn ACLs, but Kelly said if it weren’t for the injuries, the Eagles wouldn’t have been in position to acquire him.
“I’m concerned about anybody's injuries, but you’re not going to get involved with anybody if not for his injuries,” Kelly said. “There aren’t too many people in this league who aren’t injured at this position.
“The Saints, their revival had a lot to do with Drew Brees, who was hurt (shoulder injury). A lot of teams didn’t do enough due diligence with him. Give (Saints coach) Sean Payton and (general manager) Mickey Loomis credit. They didn’t count Drew Brees out and look how it paid off for them.
“We wouldn’t have traded for him if we didn’t believe he didn’t have a tremendous upside.”