Echoing parting words spoken by Lesean McCoy, recently traded cornerback Brandon Boykin criticized Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly for being “uncomfortable around grown men of our culture.”
Boykin conveyed this sentiment via text message to Comcast SportsNet’s Derrick Gunn.
“He can’t relate and that makes him uncomfortable,” Boykin added in the text message. “He likes total control of everything, and he don’t like to be uncomfortable. Players excel when you let them naturally be who they are, and in my experience that hasn’t been important to him, but you guys have heard this before me.”
Remember, McCoy blasted Kelly and insinuated he was a racist saying he got rid of “all the good black players.”
It would appear Boykin and McCoy are on the same page here, but their sentiments haven’t been shared by other players on Philadelphia’s roster. Consider this statement, made by newly-aquired free agent DeMarco Murray back in May, who is a man of color:
“I’m looking around,” Murray said with a smirk. “There are a lot of us out here. I’m not sure about that.”
Boykin hadn’t been happy with Philadelphia. Despite some strong play, particularly a breakout 2013 campaign in which he registered six interceptions, he’s been relegated to the No. 3 cornerback spot with the Eagles. He was vocal about his dissatisfaction, which likely had everything to do with the trade that sent him packing to Pittsburgh.
“It’s two years running with this story and it’s getting real old for me,” Boykin said about being the No. 3 cornerback in Philadelphia, back in early June (h/t Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News). “And I’m just going to continue to be the best slot in the NFL.”
Boykin is correct in that Kelly does demand total control. That’s never been in question. Kelly does things Kelly’s way, and anyone who doesn’t buy into the Kelly way of thinking ends up getting removed from the equation.
To insinuate that Kelly is somehow racist because he “likes control of everything” is irresponsible. There are plenty of African-American men on Philadelphia’s roster, and many have come to Kelly’s defense. Boykin clearly doesn’t like his former head coach, and the Eagles did him and everyone else a favor by making the trade.
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