Report: Eagles interested in Notre Dame's Brian Kelly

The Philadelphia Eagles failed in their bid to land Oregon’s Chip Kelly and Penn State’s Bill O’Brien.

That doesn’t mean they’re done giving it the old college try.

The Eagles are now pursuing Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that two NFL sources said the team is interested and has made “overtures” to the 51-year-old coach less than two days after his team was walloped in the BCS National Championship by Alabama.

The Eagles are scheduled to interview former Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith on Thursday. They missed out on Chip Kelly last weekend when he elected to remain in college.

Whether or not Brian Kelly will be enticed by the NFL remains to be seen.

“For me to say I’ll never coach in the NFL -- I have no idea,” Kelly said on Friday from Miami. “I’m not trying to be evasive. It’s the truth of the matter. It’s all about timing.”

We’ll see if this thing gets going anywhere. Otherwise, the Eagles might just have to hire a coach from the NFL ranks.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune