Getty Doug Pederson coming on the field before a 2019 game.
The NFL coaching carousel is set to spin hard in the coming weeks, and while the Detroit Lions have already made their big move, they get to sit back and watch what happens elsewhere.
One of the hot rumors currently is that Philadelphia Eagles’ coach Doug Pederson is on the hot seat and could soon lose his job. That would introduce a Super Bowl winning coach on to the NFL landscape, which would be a major shakeup to the coaching market for Detroit and everyone else.
If Pederson was indeed available in a month, would he make sense for the Lions? The answer to that question for a beat writer is an unequivocal yes. Detroit Free Press columnist Dave Birkett posted that if the coach was indeed set to be fired and is on the outs in Philadelphia, he could easily be on the ins in Detroit.
The Lions’ coaching search hasn’t completely gotten off the ground yet, and a big reason is the fact that the season is ongoing. In another three to four weeks though, the season will end for lots of teams and the playoff groundwork will begin meaning interviews and further changes will be revealed. If Pederson was to hit the market, he could fit the mold of what the Lions could look for given he has been successful at his other stops and won plenty of playoff games including a Super Bowl. Experience could be paramount in this search for Detroit, and Pederson would immediately be the most established name of the list if he were to eventually get fired.
Doug Pederson Career Biography
A former quarterback in the league from 1991-2004 in mostly a backup role, Pederson retired in 2005 and worked in Philadelphia for a couple years on the offensive side of the ball before becoming the Kansas City offensive coordinator from 2013-2015 under Andy Reid. In 2016, he became the Eagles’ head coach and quickly righted the ship for the franchise, winning Super Bowl LII in his second year on the job. Since, the Eagles have had a couple 9-7 finishes but have made the playoffs both times. Overall, Pederson has a 41-34 record as a head coach including a 4-2 mark in the postseason. The 2020 Eagles have fallen hard, however, and Pederson is shouldering plenty of the blame for the failure.
Lions Coaching Search Rumors
Thus far, there hasn’t been much said about Detroit’s coaching search other than Robert Saleh could be the front runner for the team according to multiple reports. Even in spite of that, Saleh might have options this offseason, so it’s far from a guarantee the Michigan native takes over his hometown team. Otherwise, Eric Bieniemy has been mentioned as a candidate as well and might have interest in the Lions. Besides that, there have been few leads as it relates to what the team may do at coach other than the potential they hire that position before general manager. Detroit may have interest in John Dorsey as well as Jerry Reese for the GM role, and it’s certainly notable that Dorsey has worked with Doug Pederson before in Kansas City.
If Pederson comes on the market, that will be something which is a dramatic shakeup for the Lions and all other coach needy teams. It could also be something to watch and remember in Detroit given these variables.
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