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Tom Coughlin, Chip Kelly have fascinating connection and it could come full circle with Jaguars

Who knew there were so many connections between Tom Coughlin and Chip Kelly? And there could be another.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are conducting some interesting interviews this offseason. First they brought in both Doug Marrone and Coughlin for their head-coaching spot, and when Marrone got the job Coughlin was then hired to a higher post — executive vice president of football operations.

Now Coughlin and Marrone are interviewing offensive coordinator candidates, and one name pops off the list. As reported by 1010XL’s Hays Carlyon, Kelly is one of four candidates to be interviewing for the job. Kelly is in town on Monday for the position that was held by Nathaniel Hackett for the second half of last season after Greg Olson was fired after the team’s 2-5 start.

There’s an added layer to this as well: Kelly “very quietly” was interviewed for the Jaguars’ head-coaching job that went to Marrone, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. (And if you want to follow this strange story another turn, the Philadelphia Eagles almost hired Gus Bradley — the man Marrone is now replacing — as head coach before they tabbed Kelly.)

The Jaguars have pledged to go forward with Blake Bortles as their quarterback, and perhaps Kelly could be the man to help him revive his career after a down 2016 season. Of course, Kelly still has to get the job first.

Tom Coughlin, left, and Chip Kelly, right, almost worked together a decade ago and could work together now. (Getty Images)
Tom Coughlin, left, and Chip Kelly, right, almost worked together a decade ago and could work together now. (Getty Images)

But it appears that Coughlin is a fan of Kelly’s work. Kelly went 4-1 head to head against Coughlin when they were with the Eagles and Giants, respectively, and Coughlin was interviewed for the Eagles’ head-coaching job after Kelly was fired near the end of the 2015 season — and just before the Eagles were set to face Coughlin’s Giants in what would be his final game in New York.

Coughlin clearly saw something in Kelly long before many in the NFL did, offering Kelly a job with the Giants in 2006. Kelly turned him down for what amounted to a quality-control position, opting to stay as the offensive coordinator at University of New Hampshire. How about that?

“I had all the respect in the world for coach [Tom Coughlin],” Kelly said years later. “I think he’s a Hall of Fame coach, won two Super Bowls. [He] would have been a great person to learn from. It was a great job, but it wasn’t the right job at the right time.”

Kelly then went to Oregon the following year as their offensive coordinator, and later their head coach.

Those were the days when Kelly was considered to be one of the preeminent offensive minds in the game. Kelly’s star has faded some after being fired by the Eagles, and then after a one-and-done season as head coach with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. But Kelly could help bring his career back around if he gets the job and improves the Jaguars’ underwhelming offense.

Will Coughlin offer Kelly another job — and will Kelly accept this time?

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!