As the NFL's offseason ramps up to key dates, San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly continues to be dissected.
Offensive guard Evan Mathis won the Super Bowl with the Broncos after being released from the Eagles while Kelly was his head coach. In recent days, Mathis has given his report on the 49ers' new man in charge.
On Monday, Mathis had a much different tone while talking about Kelly than just a few days ago.
“There were many things that Chip had done that showed me he wasn’t building a championship team,” Mathis wrote in an e-mail to Broncos beat reporter Mike Klis.
[MAIOCCO: Kelly will be first 49ers head coach to not speak at combine]
Mathis pointed to two major issues when playing under Kelly.
“Two of the main issues that concerned me were: 1. A never-evolving, vanilla offense that forced our own defense to play higher than normal play counts. 2. His impatience with certain personality types even when they were blue-chip talents. The Broncos team I was on would have eaten Chip alive."
And why exactly would the Super Bowl champs "eat Chip alive?"
"I don’t think he could have handled the plethora of large personalities," Mathis added.
Mathis also revealed how he was granted his release from the Eagles after months of contract disputes between he and Kelly.
Instead of going through his agent, Mathis went a much more creative route. Mathis went to his phone and personally texted Kelly with a YouTube video of Engelbert Humperdink singing, “Please release me, let me go. …’’
[RELATED: Why eager Armstead believes Kelly turns 49ers around in 2016]
The 49ers showed interest in Mathis after his release before the Broncos signed the former All-Pro. Mathis hits the open market this year in free agency.
Kelly responding to Mathis' criticism is seemingly unlikely. The next time we hear from Kelly at all is unknown as he will be the first 49ers head coach to not speak at the combine.
