LeSean McCoy recently reflected on the trade that sent him to the Buffalo Bills in 2015, expressing his surprise and disappointment. The trade, orchestrated by then-Philadelphia head coach Chip Kelly, involved McCoy being traded for Kiko Alonso, a player McCoy had never heard of.
The trade left McCoy questioning his worth and whether it was a reflection of his abilities as a player.
“That was the first time it’s ever been basically like, yo, you’re not good enough, we don’t want you,” said McCoy. “And I was like, is it my football? . . . I led the league in rushing the year before, All-Pro, first-team, and all that. The next year I was third in rushing. He said I had a declined year. You didn’t send me to Buffalo because you thought it was the best move for your team, you sent me there to die.”
Despite the initial shock, McCoy thrived in Buffalo and became a beloved figure among fans. He proved himself as one of the best running backs in the league during his four seasons with the Bills, accumulating impressive rushing yards and touchdowns. Over time, McCoy grew to appreciate Buffalo and described it as a special place.
In contrast, Kelly’s tenure in Philadelphia did not fare well. He was fired less than a year after trading McCoy and went on to have a mixed coaching career in the NFL and college ranks. As for Alonso, he had a decent NFL career, playing for multiple teams before retiring in 2022.
Ultimately, McCoy had the last laugh. He finished his career with over 11,000 rushing yards and won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2021, he signed a one-day contract to retire with the Eagles, the team where his NFL journey began.
