Chip Kelly: 'I always wanted' Philadelphia Eagles job

Chip Kelly has arrived in Philly.

The Eagles' new coach left Eugene, Ore., at 3:30 p.m. ET Wednesday and landed at Northeast Philadelphia Airport just after 7 p.m. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and president Don Smolenski were waiting on the runway, along with a police escort and a horde of fans, The Associated Press reported.

Kelly briefly met with the media but dodged a question about why he changed his mind and took the Eagles job.

"The challenge is what I was excited about, and that's why I came," Kelly said, via The Associated Press. "I was sold on the Eagles the first time I met them, it was my ties to Oregon that made it hard. But the Eagles are the Eagles. This is the NFL.

"My dream is to just win, and with the Eagles, this was the best opportunity for me to win. I never thought a long time ago that I was going to be able to coach in the NFL, but I'm excited about the opportunity."

Kelly added the Eagles didn't have to convince him, even though he turned down the job last week. "I always wanted the job," he said. He also joked about the Eagles' faithful, saying: "I know it's a rabid fan base. I hope they don't boo me. It's an exciting time, and I'm ready to get to work."

Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens explained that Kelly called him Wednesday morning to give him the shocking news.

"He wasn't sure if that opportunity would present itself again, so he felt this was the right one at the right time," Mullens told The AP. "I've turned the page. I was surprised when I got the call this morning, but as the leader of this organization, my focus is on moving forward, and that's what we're doing. I'm laser focused on what's next, and that's finding the right fit to lead Oregon football."

The Eagles will introduce Kelly at 1:30 p.m. ET Thursday at their practice facility. He'll be asked about his flip-flop. He'll have to get that out of the way, one way or another, before we can truly focus on the X's and O's and how his dynamic system will work in the NFL.

Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.