Evan Mathis Reportedly Texted Chip Kelly The Song 'Release Me'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Evan Mathis was always known as a rather snarky and sarcastic person, especially when it comes to social media. But this story takes the case.
In an email exchange with USAToday.com's Mike Klis, Mathis -- who was released by the Eagles on June 11th, 2015 -- admitted he texted former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly a link to a song by Engelbert Humperdinck called, "Release me."
Eagles reporter Jeff McLane tweeted a screen shot of the text message from Mathis to Kelly.
At the time of his release, NJ.com reported that Mathis "did everything he could" to remain in Philadelphia.
Mathis, 34, was set to make $5.5 million and $6 million with the Eagles in 2015 and 2016 respectively, but reportedly wanted a $2.5 million raise.
"[Mathis] said it was in incentives," 94WIP's Howard Eskin explained to the 94WIP Morning Show on Tuesday. "Well, they were easily attainable incentives. He was already one of the highest paid guards in the league."
Before the Eagles' 2015 training camp, Mathis said he would have reported to camp regardless of his contract situation, but Eskin says that's not necessarily true.
Listen: Howard Eskin on the 94WIP Morning Show
"What I was told," Eskin continued, "he was going to report and say he was injured so he didn't have to practice until he got a new contract.
"He's happy to win a Super Bowl, but now he's back to, 'Wait a minute, I lost over three million dollars in one season.' And he wouldn't have started in the end if another player didn't get hurt," Eskin said. "He got beat out by, I think, it was a rookie midway through season."
In his email exchange to 9NEWS, Mathis went right after Kelly, who is now with the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
"There were many things that Chip had done that showed me he wasn't building a championship team," Mathis wrote in his e-mail via USAToday.com. "Two of the main issues that concerned me were: 1. A never-evolving, vanilla offense that forced our own defense to play higher than normal play counts. 2. His impatience with certain personality types even when they were blue-chip talents. The Broncos team I was on would have eaten Chip alive. I don't think he could have handled the plethora of large personalities."
The email exchange was released on Monday night and 94WIP's Brian Haddad tweeted to Mathis, asking him to join his radio show. Mathis, of course, had a sardonic response.
