Chip Kelly's father, Paul Kelly, passed away last Friday night. The San Francisco 49ers head coach then coached the team in a game on Sunday in Chicago. Kelly took an opportunity on Thursday to thank 49ers ownership for the support they gave during the difficult time for him and his family. He explained the lengths that ownership went through to help him since the tragedy struck last week.

On Sunday, FOX NFL Sunday reported that Kelly would be returning to the 49ers in 2017. On Wednesday, WR Torrey Smith said that he expects Kelly to return next season. Kelly said that he has not had any discussions with ownership regarding job security. He regularly meets with ownership and met with him on Thursday morning. Those discussions always involve week-to-week football updates and nothing long-term.

"I hadn't seen [49ers CEO] Jed [York] since I got back," Kelly said. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank the York family for how much they helped me in the last five to six days. They wee unbelievable."


"In terms of me being able to get back-and-forth," Kelly continued when asked what the York family had done for him. "They had a plane ready for me when we landed in Chicago on Friday night and I got an opportunity to fly to New Hampshire to be with my mom. And then to be able to fly back for the game and then be able to fly back for the funeral and then to be able to fly all the way back here. And then to be able to fly [girlfriend] Jill [Cohen] from Chicago -- or from here to Chicago to meet me so we could go together. They were godsends, to be honest with you."


Kely was asked if all of those arrangements were made by the Yorks. "It was all them, yeah," he answered. Kelly rejoined the 49ers on Wednesday after returning to California late Tuesday night.

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