The band is staying together:
https://twitter.com/ChampKelly1/status/1141191956317507584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1141191956317507584%7Ctwgr%5E393039363b636f6e74726f6c&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fjetswire.usatoday.com%2F2019%2F06%2F19%2Fchamp-kelly-staying-with-bears-will-not-join-jets-staff%2F
Champ Kelly, the Chicago Bears’ Assistant Director of Player Personnel, announced on Twitter that he is sticking with the team for another season.
It’s not as if he didn’t have options. Kelly took an interview with the New York Jets to fill their once-vacant general manager position (which has since been occupied by Joe Douglas). Even when Douglas took the gig, it was possible that Kelly could have left and joined the Jets front office and teamed up with the former Bears front office exec in New York. HOWEVER, Kelly is hanging around and going all-in with Chicago. That’s wonderful news!
Kelly is a rising star in front office circles, and with good reason. he has had a hand in the moves that helped turn the team from a bottom-feeder in the NFC North to one that has genuine Super Bowl aspirations. It’s one thing for us to see Kelly as an important piece to the puzzle, but to see him garner interest from other teams speaks volumes.
Think of it this way: The Jets’ interest in Kelly (and even Douglas) should be seen as a sign of respect to what the Bears have done in their rebuild and a nod to GM Ryan Pace for building a staff other franchises want to poach. And while I hope that Kelly gets his shot to run an organization down the line, I’m also happy that one of the key cogs in this Bears thing that’s being built doesn’t need to be replaced.
Keep on keepin’ on, you Bears!