Former Eagles wide receiver and current Delaware State head coach DeSean Jackson still isn’t a fan of former Eagles head coach and current Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. In his latest critique of the man who had him released, Jackson is criticizing the way Kelly is coaching a first-round draft pick.
Appearing on “Up and Adams” with Kay Adams on Wednesday, Jackson was asked about his thoughts on Kelly working to change Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty’s stance in the backfield from standing straight up to a more hunched look. Jackson said Kelly was undoing what made Jeanty a prolific player.
“Honestly, he’s got to do better,” Jackson said. “I don’t want to say his name because I don’t like giving him light, but for his stance, I just feel like as a coach you have to do better because this guy has proven he was literally one of the best running backs in college football. He’s had the production, he still runs crazy, he led college football in yards. To come in the NFL and try to change the stance up, I’m just not a fan of it. At the end of the day, if he comes in and doesn’t have the production or he doesn’t do as well as being the top pick that you guys drafted him, then OK, let’s talk about it. But to try to do it before you even play one game, I just don’t like it.”
Jeanty rushed for 2,601 yards — the second-highest single-season total in FBS history — trailing only Barry Sanders, a former running back at Oklahoma State. The Raiders selected him with the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft, hoping he improves the Raiders’ rushing offense after finishing last in the league in rushing yards per game last season (79.8).
Jackson has been outspoken about his disdain for Kelly after Jackson was released in 2014 under the premise that Jackson was involved in a gang, accusations that Jackson has vehemently denied. Jackson eventually returned to the Eagles in a 2019 trade. He and running back LeSean McCoy also shared stories of how they didn’t like Kelly during their “25/10″ podcast in May 2024.
Jackson did give advice to Jeanty on how to thrive in the NFL.
“Be yourself,” Jackson said. “Continue to go out there, produce, and have fun. ... If we’re talking about high school or we’re going back to college, yeah, maybe you can kind of critique that stuff differently, but when I draft a guy to go to the NFL, I’m not drafting you to come teach you how to play running back. I’m not drafting you to change your position. I drafted you for a reason, because you’ve been proven and you show what you can do. Now just come here and just do what you need to do. We don’t have to talk about nothing else.”
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Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.