Chip Kelly: Eagles have 'no issue' with officials controlling tempo

Chip Kelly said he has "no issue" with the officials controlling the tempo after a Wall Street Journal article suggested that the officials might keep Kelly from running the up-tempo offense he likes. The article quoted the NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino saying "we have to make sure teams understand that they don't control the tempo, our officials do."

"If the speed limit is 65, even though I want to go 85, if there's a cop out there, you're not going 85," Kelly said. "It's a real simple concept."

Kelly met with Blandino at the NFL's league meetings in March and had officials at minicamp in June. There will be officials at practice on Thursday and next week. Kelly said the rules are similar to what he dealt with in college while coaching at Oregon.

"We understand the rules of engagement," Kelly said. "I have absolutely no issue with them. We embrace the way they're doing it."

Kelly said the rules allow the defense to match substitutions, and the offense must wait for the referee to place the ball. He said the Eagles will go with whatever the rules are.

"It's not an issue with us," Kelly said.  "We understand the rules, and we'll play by it."

Contact Zach Berman at zberman@phillynews.com. Follow on Twitter @ZBerm.