Chip Kelly: “I certainly don’t have the personnel that we had when we were at the other place.”

SANTA CLARA — This is the transcript of Chip Kelly’s Week-11 Wednesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.

We just got off our conference call with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Obviously you guys have the connection. Can you trace it back for us a little bit on how you first encountered Bill and going over to the Patriots facility?

“Just from visiting when I was an assistant at New Hampshire and that continued when I was an assistant at Oregon and then the head coach at Oregon. Just spent time there.”

 

What was the biggest takeaway you got from those visits?

“Just when you get a chance to watch arguably one of the best coaches in the history of the game coach on a daily basis, how organized he is, how is detailed he is, how in tune he is to putting his players in position to make plays and just really how gracious and nice he is. I don’t know if the media always sees that side of him, but extremely outgoing, smart, personable.”

 

You said when you got hired here that Bill was one of those that reached out to you after you left Philly. What did that mean to get that support from him at that point?

“I don’t know if it, it obviously means a lot. He’s a very good friend and I appreciate the support he’s given me in my career.”

 

When you visit a coach like that I think the tendency as a young coach like you were at the time, a younger coach, would be to just get information, get information, get information. But, is there also like you want to give something back as well and share information?

“Yeah, I mean, I think we talked football and shared. He always has questions when I see him and we visit and I talk to him at the Combine. We share ideas and things.”

 

He spoke in the past I think about he didn’t exchange details about play calls or anything like that. It was more philosophical discussion about football. Did you find that your philosophies were similar about the game and if they were what areas do they overlap?

“In a lot of situations. You’re always just trying to find an advantage because everything is so close. So, how can you maximize what you have for your players and how you can try to gain a yard here or a play here or an advantage in certain situations?”

 

Is it organizational to that degree? I mean, how you want to practice and that sort of thing?

“Yeah, I’ve observed how they practice and what they do. There’s a lot of drills that they do and how they do things. It’s one of the things, I spent two years when we were in Philly we would practice against them. So, we spent three days with them and a lot of things we do organizationally from a practice standpoint I got from coach.”

 

You guys went up to New England obviously last year and won. What can you take away from that game that might help your preparation for this week?

“Probably nothing. It’s two entirely different teams. I certainly don’t have the personnel that we had when we were at the other place. I mean, we watched the game and broke it down as part of our breakdowns and getting ready for them. But, their personnel has changed. There are guys that played against us in last year’s game that aren’t going to play against us in this year’s game. I think they are deploying their guys differently just because they have different personnel. I don’t think there’s a whole heck of a lot that you’re going to glean from last year’s game going to this year because there’s been so many games this year to look at in terms of how they’re using the players that they’re using now.”

 

Bill said one of the hallmarks of your offense is that it attacks every part of the field. How do you think you’ve done this year in that regard, with the deep stuff, every quadrant of the field?

“I think a lot of it depends, and it’s not over the course of a game, it’s over the course of the season of how people are going to defend you. If you look at last week during the course of the game, the Cardinals were really getting their free safety involved in the run game so we threw a post over the top of them. Sometimes if the free safety is not getting involved in the run game then you’re not going to be able to throw a post because he’s defending the post. If he’s defending the post then he’s not a factor in the run game. So, I think over the course of the season you’re able to get the ball in certain places down the field, but it depends on what each week that team is going to give you.”

 

Does WR Torrey Smith’s injury affect that post, that deep–?

“Well, I think [WR] Quinton Patton was the one that caught the post.”

 

How has Torrey looked?

“He did not practice yesterday. I think he’ll be limited today. So, we’ll see and we’ll observe him as we go along this week. So, I don’t know what his status will be for Sunday.”

 

Is their defense unique in the sense that they’re so adaptable, they seem to have different schemes and different game plans every week that they don’t necessarily have one really great calling card, they sort of adapt to all the things that opposing offenses do?

“Well, I think their calling card is that their players are very versatile. So, you have players like [New England Patriots LB Rob] Ninkovich and [New England Patriots LB Dont’a] Hightower, [New England Patriots S Patrick] Chung that can play multiple positions and they can deploy them in different ways. Ninkovich can be a defensive end. Ninkovich can be an outside linebacker. Ninkovich can be an inside linebacker. They use Hightower in a similar fashion. [New England Patriots LB Shea] McLellin is a guy that you certainly know they have a role for in terms of how they’re using him and how they’re going to deploy him and he’s kind of a hybrid-type guy too. Chung can be a high safety. Chung can be down in the box. Chung can be their nickel. So, I think one of the hallmarks of what they do is the versatility and I think that’s what Bill really looks for in the people that he’s drafting or the people that he’s signing to play defense for him is that versatility allows them to be a multiple team.”

 

What does that do to you guys? They’re obviously very multiple on offense as well. Do you almost have to construct Plan A and Plan B-types of game plans just to be able to adjust to what they’re in?

“Yeah. It forces you to, just because this grouping’s on the field doesn’t mean that they’re going to be in this. On some teams, when this grouping of 11 guys is on the field, this is exactly what they play and you know exactly where they’re lined up, exactly where they are and then how do you execute and play against them? But, with what Bill does, you can see a four-down front, you can see a three-down front, you can see a two-down front with the same personnel on the field. So, you don’t have kind of a pre-snap idea based on the personnel in the game exactly how they’re going to come out. You’re going to have to see them line up and then you’ve got to see it play itself out. You’re actually going to have to make some post-snap reads in terms of some of the things you’re going to get from them.”

 

Is it difficult game planning, preparing with New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski’s status up in the air?

“No, because they have so many other weapons. You better be prepared for, it’s just not Gronk. [New England Patriots TE] Martellus Bennett is having an outstanding season. You’ve got [New England Patriots WR Danny] Amendola. You’ve got [New England Patriots WR Julian] Edelman. You’ve got a slew of running backs. You’ve got [New England Patriots RB] LeGarrette Blount, who they can pound you with. They’ve got the backs coming out of the backfield and then obviously, you’ve got one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. So, if they don’t have him, obviously that’s a blow to them but it’s not a death blow. I think they’ll still be very formidable on the offensive side.”

 

The 49ers are honoring former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo this Sunday. What stands out to you about his contributions to the game?

“The big thing with Mr. D is just I think not only the winning attitude that he brought here to San Francisco, but just how he did it. You listen to the former players that he touched is that everything he did, he did with class and that’s kind of what the hallmark of this organization is about. It’s about winning with class and he’s the guy that started that whole process here, brought the five Super Bowl titles and all the work that they’ve done but doing it in the right manner. So, that’s kind of the first thing I think of when I think of Mr. D. I think of class.”

 

Do you have any memorable interactions with him?

“I’ve had interactions with him. I wouldn’t say, off the top of my head, just a very good, classy individual.”

 

What have your impressions been of DL Glenn Dorsey? Obviously, he’s been in the league for a while but since you’ve gotten to know him.

“Yeah, I think Dors, we talked about it the other day, I think he’s kind of over his injury. He did an unbelievable job in rehabbing and coming back from what he’s done and I think in the last two weeks, you kind of see him solidify the inside, the interior of our defensive line in terms of being stout, especially in the run game. I think he’s done a really good job in that. I think he brings some energy. I think he brings some juice and then more importantly, I think he brings leadership to that. We’ve got a young group besides him and I think the younger players can really learn from him, not only how he battled through adversity because of the injuries, but his approach to how he comes here every day. The professionalism that he kind of carries himself on a daily basis, how he prepares for the game, how he approaches the game and then really, how he plays the game. So, it’s been a big plus for us to be able to get Dors back the last couple of weeks and we hope he continues that way.”

 

Do you think that leadership manifests in the huddle too on the field during games?

“Yeah, there’s not a lot of huddling on defense in the NFL anymore. So, there’s not a lot of ra-ra speeches. Everybody’s kind of either breaking the huddle very fast or it’s kind of a mixed bag of things. But, I think it’s during the week is where it really has to manifest itself and it does.”

This article has 121 Comments

  1. Just out of curiosity, how many wins do you think Belichick would get from this team, considering he would have to work under the constraints (read limitations) of Baalke and the younger York??????

    1. Good question. Tomsula won five with a similar roster. I’m thinking Belichick would win more than five. But I admit I have no idea.

      1. Similar roster? Tomsula had a full season of Bowman he played 4 games this season for Chip Kelly and yeah Grant I know he’s not the Bowman of old but he is the best player on this current defense hands down and it’s not even close, also remember Tomsula had Ian Williams playing at the nose who some thought was playing at a pro bowl level last season. Boldin was the 49ers leading WR last season and the season before with Harbaugh so let’s be a little fair when comparing the rosters.

        1. Those are good points. To be fair, this year’s defense was awful even when Bowman was healthy. And Boldin was slowing down last season. Kerley isn’t much worse.

          Losing Williams hurts, but Belichick would have worked around that loss. Wouldn’t have run a 3-4 without a nose tackle.

          1. 2 of those 5 wins really should’ve been losses the Bears missing an easy FG and the Rams game where Johnson blocked the FG could’ve easily been losses

            1. OK. Another way to look at it is the 49ers were competitive in 10 games under Tomsula. Under Kelly, they’ve been competitive in two games.

              1. I’ll give you that the defense is worse this year even though no Bowman or Williams but the offense seems to be better

              2. Yes, better in the red zone and on third down. Fewer yards per drive and yards per play, though.

          2. Considering they were 3-1 with backup QBs, and now are 7-2 with Brady, and considering the Niners were competitive into the 4th quarter on many of their games, they should be 6-3 with BB as HC. He would have fixed the run defense quickly,and would have started Kaep day one.

              1. Sorry, Prime, BB would take a look at Gabbert, and realize that Kaep would give him the best chance to win. BB is too smart to fall prey to his emotions. He wants to win too badly to be distracted.

              2. Seb STFU! You hear what Eddie D thought Walsh would do with Kap and his protest? Belichick would do the same thing, turf his a$$!

              3. Prime, I win again.

                Eddie was an emotional guy and fired Walsh several times. Mcvay kept saving the day, and retained Walsh.

                Like you and your immature emotional tantrums, you fly off the handle without thinking things through.

                Bill Bellichick is too smart to fall victim to emotional outbursts. He would want to win too badly to possibly harm the team chemistry and his chances to win.

                Kaep’s team mates do not look like they are upset by his exercising his first amendment rights. They look like it has helped bond them together, and it is an-Us against the world attitude.

              4. And did it work Seb? Has his selfish protest brought the team together and helped win games?(INSERT BLAME YORK/BAALKE)

                You keep talking about Kap and how he gives the Niners the best chance to win, has it?(0-4 SO FAR.YOUR PREDICTION: KAP WINS 8 OUT OF 10-INSERT BLAME YORK/BAALKE)

                You also keep talking about Walsh and Eddie D just came out and said no way Walsh would tolerate the distraction Kap has brought to the 49ers. But somehow you think Belicheck would embrace Kap and find he would give the 49ers a better chance to win, but somehow have no fact to back that up! Emotional outburst, or blind stupidity?

                You sure talk a lot and say a lot but in reality none of it has merit or fact to back it up, or makes any sense.

                THATS WHY YOU ARE AN IDIOT!

              5. Prime, there you go again. Blaming Kaep for not winning when the whole team has not done well, Then you totally dismiss the fact that he brought the team back to tie the last game, only to see the defense lose the game again.

                You dissed him as inaccurate after he threw for 400 yards.

                You deny history when Walsh would have huge arguments with Eddie. Yes, Eddie would want some players cut, but Walsh would see his value and would fight for that player. The end result would be that Eddie would fly off the handle, fire Walsh, and John McVay would calm the waters and keep Walsh.

                Idiot? You are the one praising the CFL as equal to the NFL, and consider Dalton to be an elite QB who is way better than Kaep. However, Dalton has failed miserably during the playoffs, while Kaep has a 4-2 road playoff record and played in a SB.

                Keep it up, you immature screeds just make you a laughingstock, and your juvenile name calling just defines you.

              6. Seb gonna try and make it real simple for you:

                1. You were the guy all offseason and during Gabberts time that said Kap was the best option to win games and reminded all of us how the storm was coming. Yes last game he threw for many yards but still lost? Is that a victory in your mind? Also, like how he is such a good player because he went to a SB and once again lost.
                Why? Because he was the one that crumbles late in games or cannot make any throws outside the numbers. Versus the Cards in the 2nd half they kept him in the pocket and forced him to throw outside the numbers and failed!

                2. What in the blue hell does Walsh and Eddie D’s relationship have to do with anything? All I said was Eddie D stated Walsh would never tolerate Kaepernicks selfish protest and that it was a major distraction to the team. You said it rallied the team. In fact it has done nothing of the sort.

                3. Please find the quote where I said the CFL was comparable to the NFL? You cant. You are a moron who puts words in peoples mouth because you know you are wrong!

                4.You still remain and idiot because you have done noting to refute the claim that:
                a) Kap gives the 49ers a better chance of winning.0-4,
                *you predicted winning 8 of 10

                b) a storm is coming: 400 yards passing last week, but lost and blame everyone else except the fact he crumbled late in the game when the defense forced him out of his strengths and could not adapt. Some franchise QB, he is limited and cannot make all the NFL throws but you find victory stats! Congrats!

              7. Prime, Eddie may have stated that Walsh would never tolerate a distraction, but it has not been a distraction to the team. Some claim it has brought the team together, and I have not seen players playing less hard for Kaep.

                I will not dredge up your CFL comment, because you are not worth the time to do it. I may have made a lot of predictions, but deny that I said that Kaep would win 8 out of 10, especially after seeing the defense play. Before the season I said that if they start Kaep, they may win 8 games, and if the planets align, they had a possibility to win 10 and a shot at the playoffs. However, Gabbert started, and Bow became injured so that prediction was moot.

                I will keep bringing up your quote that admitted that Kaep took the league by storm, because I get to needle you for saying that. I also said you would rue the day that you said it, and your volatile screeds against me confirm that.

              8. Seb says “Some claim it has brought the team together, and I have not seen players playing less hard for Kaep”
                Did it help the team? It certainly has not and how can you say others say it has brought them together? Who are these people? Fact? Proof or just another one of your lame a$$ opinions and predictions?

                Seb says “I will not dredge up your CFL comment, because you are not worth the time to do it”
                Ha! Weak! And by the way shut up about it cause you cannot prove it cause it was never said! I said the CFL was a good league to watch, as it is entertaining considering the talent in it! Don’t make stuff up if you cannot prove it!

                Seb says “I may have made a lot of predictions,
                Yes you do and its all talking out of your arse! No substance!

                And lastly, yes I said Kap took the league by storm. I admit that but how does needling me about that make you happy?
                He is nothing what he was 4 years ago. He has regressed, so that only makes you look even dumber. He is a has been. Telling me I said he took the league by storm just makes me more confident in my belief that he was a one trick pony like Jeff George, Jemarcus Russell, Ryan Leaf. Thank you for verifying my belief that he took the league by storm only to fade into the category of these other useless QB’s!

        2. Not to mention Kaepernick looks light years better compared to last year and seems to be getting better with each game.

            1. Didn’t say he’s having a pro bowl season but compared to last season? He looked lost last season against the Cardinals and Sunday he looked like he knew what he was doing no INTs

              1. Also more difficult schedule this year then last year and now Tom Brady and the Patriots are coming to town lol Goodluck with that!

              2. Also a better O-line this year. And a healthier Hyde. And Buckner is an upgrade over Armstead.

              3. Hyde is a bust! Armstead was playing with one arm. Ian Williams was playing better last year then anybody this year. Buckner seems to be nothing special so far but I’m still hoping he’ll will one day. Q Dial is playing pretty well right now

              4. Weren’t the coaches raving about Armstead during minicamps and training camp before he got hurt? I think Matt Miaocco wrote an article about it if I’m not mistaken

              5. I wanted them to retain DuJuan Harris and Garrison Smith on the 53 cutdowns. Thought Harris had quick hips.

      2. Mike my guess would be 7-8. But he’d probably would have sent Gabbert and Old wind up packing, Driskel would have started and he’d be developing right now before our eyes into a legit NFL QB.
        That’s how good of a coach Bill is!

  2. I assume you idiots realize you are misinterpreting Kelly?

    All he said was he had different players this year as part of the explanation as to why he couldn’t take anything from last years game.

    1. Which means the 49ers passed on him. They had a higher waiver priority. Strange. Michael is better than Mike Davis.

          1. Proise and Rawls are better than Michael. But Michael compared to Hyde is incomparable because Hyde has done what since being in the league?
            He’s exactly like Reggie Bush. As per Grant, a professional rehabiltator. The best athlete to get hurt and rehab while earning a pay check! No one does it better than Hyde 2 years running!

      1. Wow Grant so your saying we sunk so bad that now we’re hoping to get players that other teams don’t want smh

        1. Yes we want other players from other teams because we don’t know how to draft or sign our own! I’d wait on speed dial for waiver cuts via Seattle, NE all day!

  3. No he is not… That’s why he got cut 4-5 different times. He is no where near the back that Hyde is.

    1. You are right. We don’t know what Hyde is because he has never played a full season. He is what you call soft or better yet, China doll!

  4. Baalke is tanking by not taking Michael. He thinks he is safe if we only win 1 game. Knowing Jed he is probably right.

  5. Busy day and I’m just now seeing this comment from Chip for the first time. I wonder if Trent’s dry cleaner will have much trouble getting the tire marks off his suit.

    I think I’m starting to like Chip.

  6. As much as I can’t stand the guy off the field, Terrell Owens earned his spot in Canton, give the man his jacket.

    1. Yep, He’s got the best numbers since Rice. He was one of the best blocking WRs ever. He worked his azz off to be able to play in that SB.

      1. All time Rec YDs

        1. Rice 22,895
        2. Owens 15,934

        All time Receptions

        1. Rice 1549
        7. Owens 1078

        All time Rec TDs

        1. Rice 197
        3. Owens 153

        1. It’s not as impressive compared to Rice but compare him to Michael Irvin who is already in the HoF:

          Yards
          Owens 15934
          Irvin 11904

          Receptions
          Owens 1078
          Irvin 750

          TD’s this is the big one
          Owens 153
          Irvin 65

          Taking HoF voting away from the media will help remove a lot of the subjectivity that exists in the process. A third party committee is needed.

              1. There are also other parameters. The Hall of Fame has 5 core values-
                Commitment, Integrity, courage, respect and excellence.

                Marino fulfills all of them.

                Owens lack of commitment had him moving from team to team. He threw too many coaches and other players under the bus. He did seem fearless against all his detractors. He was not respected, and was considered a cancer in the locker room. I admit he was productive, but mothers did not tell their sons to emulate him.

              2. How many of those core values did Irvin possess, pun intended. I guess rings outweigh “core values” shows you how much real weight they assign to them.

          1. This comparison is why the HOF has become a joke imo. There are so many players in there that shouldn’t be and it comes down to personality far too often. Owens should have been a first ballot HOF. He was a dominant player for more than a decade and the numbers back it up, but because he was unlikeable for most of it in the eyes of the voters, he doesn’t get in on the first try.

    2. Not gonna happen anytime soon. They’re giving him the Charles Haley treatment, and he had hand bling….

      1. You’re no better then those voting, acting out your personal feelings towards the man rather then basing it on his body of work. His numbers speak for themselves and are more then deserving of the HoF.

        1. Oh please. If you truly based it on his body of work, then you would have to take into consideration his year suspension with his moving from team to team because he would cause division within a team and wear out his welcome every time. The reality is there are better candidates ahead of him.

          – Roger Craig
          – Kurt Warner
          – LaDainian Tomilson
          – Torry Holt
          – Jimmy Johnson
          – John Lynch
          – Hines Ward

          Just to name a few.

          1. I would put Keena Turner over TO.

            To me, Keena was the unsung hero. He almost never missed a tackle, was always in the right position, and he was one of the first “Hybrid” players who could stop the run and defend passes. He gave the team flexibility. He may not have gotten the big stats, but he made that defense work. Many teams would target him, but he just kept making plays.

            Keena Turner was a champion both on and off the field. He is one of a few players who have 4 rings, and deserves to be considered for the HOF.

          2. Compared to their peers where do those players rank versus Owens to other receivers. A lot of those names were great in their time but overall where do they rank in their respective position groups? Owens is one of the greatest WR’s to have played and you cant say that about most of those names you listed.

          3. Sorry Mid but Owens is more deserving than every player on this list with the exception of maybe Tomlinson. It’s not the hall of likeability; it’s the hall of fame and Owens numbers should have put him there last year.

  7. Kelly has failed. Period. He is the one who hired Jim O’Neill to run the defense when there was a better option in-house.

    And the offense has been terrible. The higher points per game totals early on were mostly aided by turnovers.

    1. Yea, the team has been sliding statistically in most every category for the last 3 years but let’s just blame it all on the current coach.

        1. Then you’re saying different coaches would have more success with this team. Maybe but not by much.

          1. Remember 2014 Harbaugh went 8-8 in his last year and that roster still had a lot of good players like Willis, J Smith, A Smith, Crabtree, McDonald and not to mention Borland was having a rookie of the year season.

            1. That 8-8 looks like one of Harbaughs better Coaching jobs in hindsight. All the injuries they had, along with the constant rumors being put out by the front office about unrest in the locker room.

          1. Sure isn’t. The coaches don’t seem to have the players ears. The general manager isn’t very good at drafting or trading or well any aspect of his job and the owner is a d-bag.

            We’re one big cluster fudge.

            1. Agree with all of this.

              None of these guys deserve a pass. Everyone of them are pointing fingers at someone else.

        1. I always had a problem with him rushing one DL a few times. Also, seeing our OLBs 20 to 30 yards downfield defending passes at the goal line and almost always getting beat for TDs didn’t seem to work. Further, Reid never did seem to understand where he was supposed to be in that defense.

          1. Exactly! I remember last season several times Bowman throwing his hands up wondering who was covering wide open receivers.

  8. Media fawning over Belichick is kinda funny.

    “Chip, what was it like when you went up on the mountain and Bill carved the Ten Commandments of football on the tablet?”

    1. Houston ..

      Dunno about the last seven … but ..
      here are the first three “Commandments”
      Belichick imparted to Chipster ..

      1. Win if you can
      2. Lose .. if you must .. but
      3. ALWAYS … cheat

    2. LOL, I had to laugh. Bellichick went from saying- Seattle, after every question and generally producing monosyllabic grunts, to giving an expansive, detailed and 10 minute glowing speech on how much he likes Eddie.

  9. Chip Kelly: “I certainly don’t have the personnel that we had when we were at the other place.”

    That’s what should be on the next banner flown over Levi’s ha!

    1. Fans and media like Grant get mad when coaches don’t state the truth and that’s what Chip is doing now it doesn’t take a half of brain to know this roster lacks veteran talent

  10. Robert Smith ‏@TheReal_RLS · 4m4 minutes ago

    @timkawakami can’t Denise get back involved and take her son over her knee? She my not want to run the team but she is still the real owner

    Jeff Young ‏@BaseballJeff1 · 7m7 minutes ago  San Anselmo, CA

    @timkawakami @rmalmada @nw49erboss getting outside help from a source like ED. It makes JY look like he’s trying but it appears to be a lie.

    Jeff Young ‏@BaseballJeff1 · 8m8 minutes ago  San Anselmo, CA

    @timkawakami @rmalmada @nw49erboss that too is frustrating. I think it’s not only a shield, but a PR tactic to make it seem like JY is…

    Ruben Almada ‏@rmalmada · 6m6 minutes ago

    @BaseballJeff1 @timkawakami @nw49erboss be careful using JY people will think your talking about yourself.

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    Jeff Young ‏@BaseballJeff1 · 3m3 minutes ago  San Anselmo, CA

    @rmalmada @timkawakami @nw49erboss I’ve thought about that lol, but I’m not that pompous to talk about myself in the 3rd person.

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  11. Robert Smith
    ‏@TheReal_RLS
    @timkawakami can’t Denise get back involved and take her son over her knee? She my not want to run the team but she is still the real owner

    Tim Kawakami Verified account 
    ‏@timkawakami
    Tim Kawakami Retweeted Robert Smith

    Who says she’s unhappy with Jed’s reign? The Yorks are raking in the cash.

    Kawakami Retweeted Jeff Young

    Think about how Eddie D’s family feels about him being used (falsely) as a shield for the Yorks’ failures.

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