Chip Kelly: 'Releasing DeSean Jackson was a football decision'

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly has revealed that the club released DeSean Jackson for football reasons and not due to reports of gang activity.

The Eagles took the decision to cut the 27-year-old despite him having the best season of his career in their 2013 campaign, after a story was released tying the receiver to a gang in Los Angeles.

However, Jackson denied the reports and then quickly penned a deal with the Eagles' NFC East rivals the Washington Redskins.

"We just wanted to go in a different direction. It had nothing to do with any article. Purely football," Kelly told the New York Post.

The Eagles finished with a 10-6 record last season.