Mark Helfrich asked Chip Kelly if he wanted to return to Oregon

Recently fired Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich reached out to Chip Kelly of the San Francisco 49ers to see if he was interested in returning.

"I had a some of those conversations with him a couple of weeks ago when it looked like this was going south (here at Oregon)," Helfrich said on the "Russillo & Kanell" show on ESPN Radio. "I just wanted to let him know - to take our personal relationship out of it - if he wanted to consider this. But reading between the lines I think he wants to make it right in the NFL and win at that level."

Kelly coached at Oregon from 2007-2012, first as offensive coordinator, then as head coach before leaving for the Philadelphia Eagles.

In his four years as head coach, Kelly guided the Ducks to a 46-7 record, including an appearance in the 2011 BCS Championship against Auburn.

When asked if Kelly hated recruiting, making it a reason why he would not want to return to the college level, Helfrich said, "That's a fact, there is a strong dislike (for recruiting)."

During his tenure, Helfrich saw Marcus Mariota win the 2014 Heisman Trophy and took Oregon to the 2015 National Championship game, ultimately losing to Ohio State. In four years, Helfrich had a 37-16 record, but finished 2016, 4-8, the worst season in Ducks history since 1991 (3-8).