:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/5992095/20121006_jel_aa8_826.0.jpg)
Dear Russ Brandon: you've got your work cut out for you; make it happen anyway. Signed, every Buffalo Bills fan that wants to see Chip Kelly become their favorite team's next head coach.
Kelly, as previously reported, has a list of NFL suitors that includes not just the Bills, but the Cleveland Browns and the Philadelphia Eagles. He will interview with all three teams starting on Friday, after the University of Oregon plays in tonight's Fiesta Bowl in Tempe (8:30 PM, ESPN).
Per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, of the four teams currently on the docket for Kelly - Buffalo, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Oregon - the Bills are bringing up the rear in terms of the likelihood of landing Kelly. As La Canfora tweets, "its CLE, PHI or Oregon".
Buffalo will get the first crack at Kelly. Just like they got the first crack at Mario Williams, a player that nobody expected to sign with Buffalo when he flew to Western New York last March. Just like back then, Brandon and Buffalo's decision-making brass has a tough sell to make. They've done it before; time will tell if they can do it again.
The Bills have also lined up interviews with Ray Horton (who has already interviewed), Mike McCoy, Lovie Smith and Ken Whisenhunt (who has also already interviewed).