UPDATE: Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times confirms that the Bucs and Chip Kelly are finalizing a deal. It's not done, but they're close.
According to Michael Berk of KGW, a Portland-based news channel, Chip Kelly is close to signing a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to be their next head coach. Chip Kelly is currently the head coach of the Oregon Ducks, and is best-known for introducing a high-tempo, innovative offense that has brought him a 34-6 record, a 2011 National Championship Game loss and a Rose Bowl win.
Chip Kelly has spent his entire coaching career in college, and has been a football coach since 1990. Kelly has not been linked with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before, and his hiring would come as a surprise after the Bucs have spent most of the past weeks interviewing former NFL head coaches and current NFL coordinators, with no college coaches reportedly being on the radar. This would fit their historical pattern: every hire under the Glazer ownership has been a shocking one.
This would also be an intriguing hire, however. Could Chip Kelly bring his up-tempo, spread offense to the NFL with success? To what extent would he adjust to the NFL? And how would he assemble a quality coaching staff?
If this report is confirmed, things are about to get very interesting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.