Kelly: Eagles Will Play By NFL’s Up-Tempo Rules

Chip Kelly has no intentions of getting into a stare-down with the NFL over rules that could potentially restrict his up-tempo offense.

“We understand the rules of engagement,” said Kelly. “[Vice president of officiating] Dean Blandino and those guys in the league office, we met with them at the league meetings, they were here when we had minicamp. I have absolutely no issue with them. We actually embrace the way they are doing it.

“I don’t anticipate any problems.”

Blandino was quoted in a recent Wall Street Journal article titled, NFL To the Eagles: Not So Fast as saying, “We have to make sure teams understand that they don’t control the tempo, our officials do.” More from the article:

Blandino said the subject of up-tempo offenses and how they’re officiated was a major point of discussion by the NFL’s competition committee in recent months. Last season, after what Blandino said was a record for total plays from scrimmage per game, he said the committee felt compelled to “re-emphasize” that NFL rules differ dramatically from college.

Kelly does not sound concerned.

“It’s a real simple concept to me that if the speed limit is 65, even though I want to go 85 if there’s a cop out there you’re not going 85. We’re not going to change them,” he said. “I like [the rules.] We’re excited to play with them.”

NFL referees will visit Eagles training camp, Kelly said, including when the Patriots are in town for joint practices next week.

“I think we’re going to go as fast as we can go at times,” said Matt Barkley. “Who knows if that will be a limiting factor. I think we kind of have to wait and see what happens come season time. We’ll control what we can control. We’ll have to wait to game time to see what those speeds actually are.”

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