PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles coach Chip Kelly, who has been linked to several college head-coaching jobs over the past several years, said Monday that he has "never been involved" with any of those situations since becoming Eagles coach.
"I've been totally committed [to the Eagles] since Jan. 16, 2013, and that hasn't changed," Kelly said.
When USC announced that interim head coach Clay Helton would remain in charge, there were reports that the school had talked with Kelly.
"It's kind of sad. Everybody can just write whatever they want or say whatever they want, and everybody just takes it as the truth. It's the world we live in. If you have to sit there and combat everything that comes out, I think you're wasting time." Chip Kelly
"I've never spoken to anybody from USC," Kelly said. "I've never emailed anybody from USC, I've never had a phone call from anybody from USC."
At Monday's news conference to announce Helton's contract, USC athletic director Pat Haden denied that he had interviewed Kelly.
One report said that USC officials met with Kelly on Friday in Philadelphia.
"I wasn't in Philadelphia on Friday," Kelly said. "So that's wrong."
Kelly said he was in New Hampshire on Friday, the day after the Eagles lost to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.
"I can't control what's written," Kelly said. "I was never looking at the Florida job last year. I said the same thing. They hired Jim McElwain. They did a great job. Jim's done a great job. I never talked to anybody from Florida.
"I've never discussed a college job since I came here."
Kelly said it does concern him that his players are exposed to the speculation about his job status. That speculation has only grown more intense since the Eagles have lost three consecutive games to fall to 4-7.
"It's kind of sad," Kelly said. "Everybody can just write whatever they want or say whatever they want, and everybody just takes it as the truth. It's the world we live in. If you have to sit there and combat everything that comes out, I think you're wasting time."