Safety Patrick Chung knew head coach Chip Kelly at Oregon, although at the time they worked on different sides of the ball. Chung was there for two years while Kelly was the offensive coordinator.
After four years in New England, the 5-11, 210-pound Chung had the chance to become a free agent. And the opportunity to reunite with Kelly in Philadelphia was simply too good to pass up.
"He brings a lot to the table - very intense, very smart, very passionate about what he does," Chung said. "I feel (new cornerback Bradley Fletcher) and me and the rest of the team is going to feed off of that."
A second-round pick of the Patriots, Chung showed a lot of promise starting in 30 of his 50 career regular season games. His best season came in 2010 when he had 89 tackles, three interceptions and nine pass knockdowns. He was a starter for the Patriots' AFC Championship team in 2011.
However, injuries kept Chung from building on any momentum in his career. He played in 12 games with eight starts, but he lost his starting job after suffering a midseason shoulder injury. What's ironic is that Chung started in all 51 games he played in during his four seasons at Oregon.
None of the injuries Chung incurred were severe and he is healthy. In addition to getting a chance to potentially start again, Chung has been a weapon on special teams going back to his days in Eugene. He was twice named Oregon's special teams player of the year and has 25 career special teams tackles in the NFL.
"It's just fun. It's like a 40-yard fistfight," Chung said of the third phase. "The more you can do for the team, the more you can help the team, the better the team will be."
The Eagles showed interest in Chung prior to the 2009 NFL Draft as they hosted him for a visit. Chung has the strength to play in the box, but has the ability to cover and has lined up at times in the slot in New England. Chung understands that nothing is guaranteed and he must improve from his experiences in New England.
"You have to be able to improve at everything," Chung said. "If you're good at something, you can be great. If you suck at something, you can be good."
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