Dennis Dixon: 'If everybody buys into what Chip Kelly is selling, the sky's the limit'
It's been five years since Dennis Dixon played for Chip Kelly when Kelly was the offensive coordinator at Oregon, so the new Eagles quarterback does not know entirely what to expect from the new Eagles coach. But he knows enough about Kelly to feel strongly about how Kelly's fast practices and innovative mind will fare in the NFL.
Dennis Dixon: 'If everybody buys into what Chip Kelly is selling, the sky's the limit'
Zach Berman
It's been five years since Dennis Dixon played for Chip Kelly when Kelly was the offensive coordinator at Oregon, so the new Eagles quarterback does not know entirely what to expect from the new Eagles coach. But he knows enough about Kelly to feel strongly about how Kelly's fast practices and innovative mind will fare in the NFL.
"If everybody buys into what Chip Kelly is selling, the sky's the limit," Dixon said Monday.
Whether Dixon figures into those plans remains to be seen. Dixon must first fight for a roster spot, then fight for a starting job. The other quarterbacks on the Eagles roster are Michael Vick, Nick Foles, and Trent Edwards.
"I just want to be able to put my best foot forward and let the chips fall where they may," Dixon said. "From my understanding, the job is open. It'll be a very competitive nature around here. It's pretty much open, so may the best man win."
Dixon was on the Ravens practice squad last season. He's been in the NFL since 2008, with three career starts. He was 2-0 as a starter in 2010, although he suffered a knee injury in his second start. That seemed to derailed his career, and he has not started since.
"That was my opportunity," Dixon said. "I tried to seize it, but injuries do happen in this game. Just moving forward, never really had that opportunity again. Been playing behind a lot of good quarterbacks, was tough getting on the field. From Byron Leftwich to Ben Roethlisberger, and just moving forward with the Ravens with Joe Flacco, some very good quarterbacks. Moving forward, just being patient and being humble at the same time."
Dixon said the NFL is about "what have you done for me lately?" and that hurt his chances of finding another job. But he feels comfident that working with the Steelers and the Ravens defense have helped him, and how he's in a position to be Kelly's quarterback six years after they first worked with each other.
"Now another opportunity has come," Dixon said, "and I want to be ready when it comes."
- no females in his life is a concern
— Flyerdom - Im ordering my super bowl shirt today— ziller0604
- I'm an Oregon Duck. Been watching Kelly for six years. He will give Dixon a shot, open competition. It's all about performance. And yeah, Kelly does just two things in life: sleeps five hours a night and thinks football the other 19. No one can out work him.— DHLA
- Not to disagree but Andy worked a ton of hours, slept at the office, let his family fall apart. All to still be terrible at clock management, not run the ball enough and make an offensive line coach his defensive coordinator. I wish Chip all the best, but he doesn't do well and the fans will tear him apart. — mcg23emt
- We don't know what the Eagles plans are for Dennis Dixon, but it seems unreasonable to think they envision him as anything but a long shot. He's been in the league for five years, and hasn't been in a game since 2010. He's had some serious injuries. He couldn't make a roster in 2012. Etc., etc.— joe19131
- Kelly knows that the Eagles had a major leadership problem. Installing a system makes it even harder to acquire leadership and Kelly understands that better than anyone. With such a great distance to cover between lack of leadership and a system you know he's going to allow system guys to compete. System QBs can win as the WCO offense has taught us. So add up all of these factors and there's no way Dixon *isn't* in the running.
My guess is that out of the four QBs on the roster the first one out is Nick Foles. He offers little mobility but will have some trade value.— HeelYes 
Why not Dennis Dixon? What do we have to lose? At this point, I'm wide open. I'll take 22 Dennis Dixon's that buy into a coach over what we've had here for many years. As far as I'm concerned, the slate is clean. I have no more skin in this so, let's see what happens. Kind of like the week before Christmas: You know your parents went shopping but all the gifts have been wrapped.- Of course, Dixon believes in Kelly's system. This guy is a bubble player at best and trying to catch on anywhere he can. Ergo, he "believes". Dixon won't see the start of the season in an Eagles uniform.— billtfla
- Eagles need to get away from the scrambling style quarterback, and go to the pocket passing style.— donjuango
- Right on. First top priority, offensive line, Get away from these "scramblers" Proof in in the top QB's in the league — olddog
- Dixon,shades of Vic????????????— olddog
- Dixon, well he fits Jeff Luries' number one requirement based on the size of his lips. He can't be any dumber than Vick, and he surely will beat out the two white guys that have no shot what so ever of starting while Jeff Lurie owns the team. I'd hate to be them.— TrollXterminator
- Sure feels good to be a Ravens fan, a team without a total Heeb A munch for an owner. At team that has a smart quarterback with guts, a team that dominates other teams up front and runs the ball down their throats and grabs them by the jugular and smothers them with Defense when they have the lead. A team that doesn't put up with the same fat loser coach and idiot quarterbacks for 15 years like a bunch of losers. A team that doesn't cut or trade every player that questions management. A team that doesn't hire a 35 year old lawyer from Florida as their GM. I used to be like you poor Eagles fans, now I'm all the wiser and I was rewarded with a championship season when I gave up on the Eagles and picked the Ravens as my new team in 2010. I'll consider coming back with Lurie sells the team. You'll be watching other teams drink the champagne until then $ucker$.— TrollXterminator
