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Buzz Bissinger: Blame the media for propping up Chip Kelly

Back in November, ‘Friday Night Lights’ author Buzz Bissinger blasted Chip Kelly as an arrogant fraud, and said if the Eagles missed the playoffs, he wouldn’t return as head coach.

Back in November, 'Friday Night Lights' author Buzz Bissinger blasted Chip Kelly as an arrogant fraud, and said if the Eagles missed the playoffs, he wouldn't return as head coach.

At the time, Bissinger was criticized heavily for his remarks by national media figures and fans who believed in Kelly's approach. But now that Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has decided to part ways with his embattled coach, Bissinger feels vindicated.

"I'm two-for-two," Bissinger told Philly.com after it was announced that Kelly has lost his job as Eagles head coach. "I was right about Nick Foles, and I was right about Chip Kelly."

The Pulitzer Prize-winner is no stranger to controversy. Bissinger was slammed by many in and out of town after writing a cover story for Philadelphia Magazine saying then-Eagles starter Nick Foles wasn't a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback.

Now, with Foles benched in St. Louis and Kelly on his way out of Philadelphia, Bissinger is turning his crosshairs on the media, who he blames for propping up Kelly in the first place.

"I was the fist to say Chip was a fraud," Bissinger said. "It was the sycophantism of the media that created this monster. Fans came around, but the media drank the kool-aid until the very end."

Bissinger was surprised that the team didn't wait until the end of the season to fire Kelly, but wasn't shocked when he heard the news.

"Kelly basically ruined three running backs, his play calling was awful, the team had no hustle and other teams were outpacing them," Bissinger pointed out. "And all along, Kelly has said his job isn't to inspire his players. That's BS."

There seem to be many reasons why Lurie decided to make the shocking decision to fire Kelly before the season was over, but Bissinger says the team's embarrassing loss at home against Washington, which ended their playoff hopes, was the final straw.

"That Redskins game was a disaster, and it was clear Kelly had lost complete control," Bissinger said, noting there was a clear lack of intensity and fundamentals on display.

"Ever facet of the team was in disarray, including play calling. It's honestly like they weren't coached at all," Bissinger said. "They weren't playing anything close to Eagles football."

By many accounts, Kelly didn't seem to know how to connect with a number of his players, who have gone on to accuse him of being "uncomfortable around grown men of our culture." But it was the one player that Kelly did seem to form a connection with that had Bissinger scratching his head.

"The only player that Kelly seemed to really like was Cooper, the player who used the defamatory N-word," Bissinger said. "Explain that to me."

As for who Lurie will hire as the Eagles next head coach, Bissinger has one suggestion.

"Never, ever, ever hire a coach from New Hampshire," Bissinger said. "They're weird, inward and dull."