As long as he's in coaching and there's uncertainty in Eugene, Chip Kelly and Oregon will always be linked to one another. For obvious reasons.
But the idea of a reunion seems far-fetched. I wrote on Twitter today that Oregon was a means to an end for Chip, and that end was getting to the NFL.
Asked flatly if he would be Oregon's next head coach, Kelly said Wednesday: No."
"I love everybody associated with the university, they were fantastic," he continued. "If I can help them, I can help them. My thoughts are with Helf right now."
He expanded more on Helfrich, his former assistant. “I just felt bad for Mark," Kelly said, via CSN Bay Area. "I love him like a brother,” Kelly said. “He’s a tremendous person. He’s a hell of a football coach, but he’s an even better person. Just felt for him and the rest of the guys on that staff. It’s an unfortunate thing that goes on in this profession. We all know about it when we sign up, but when it happens you’re still taken aback by it.”
#49ers Chip Kelly not interested in #Oregon opening, spoke this morning with Helfrich pic.twitter.com/0hfoJ2H08A
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) November 30, 2016
That smirk at the end said everything we need to know, didn't it?