PHOENIX — Chip Kelly referred to quarterback as the most important position on the field multiple times during his 70-minute session with reporters at the owners meeting Wednesday.

He also made it clear that he does not view it as a death sentence if your team does not have a franchise signal-caller.

“We still have to play,” said Kelly. “So if you don’t have a franchise quarterback you can’t just throw your hands up before the game and go, ‘We don’t have Tom Brady so we’re screwed today.’ Every coach’s job is to put their players in position to make plays. You have to adjust and you have to adapt, and I think that’s where people make mistakes.”

Kelly referenced Mike Shanahan drastically altering the offense when RGIII got hurt and Kirk Cousins went in. He also brought up John Fox making the playoffs with Tim Tebow and then Peyton Manning in Denver. Two different skill levels and styles, but Denver was able to make alterations and maximize the talent at that position.

Now we come to a most interesting part of this conversation.