Getty Eagles head coach Doug Pederson is on the hot seat in Philadelphia.
The decision to draft Jalen Hurts in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft set off an unexpected riptide of events. The controversial move irked franchise starter Carson Wentz as the fan base attempted to understand why the Philadelphia Eagles were wasting resources on the quarterback position.
Everyone knows how the rest of that uncomfortable situation played out. Fast forward to 2023 and Hurts has just signed a $255 million contract. He is a rising star who can do no wrong. Why? Because he’s a “flat-out winner,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman told The Athletic in June. That was the one trait the Eagles’ brain trust, including former head coach Doug Pederson, saw when they started to evaluate Hurts, the outlet reported.
“It’s really no surprise to me the success that Jalen’s having right now and just wish him the best moving forward,” Pederson told John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia. “The leadership ability, his work ethic, the way he approaches the game, the way he studies the game, the way he wants to be coached — he wants to be coached hard.”
“It’s really no surprise to me the success Jalen is having right now. The things that impressed me the most are the things you see off the football field”
🎧Podcast with Doug Pederson on Jalen Hurts and being involved with drafting & coaching him🔽 t.co/x5p5LwUfub
The Eagles were torn over two prospects at pick No. 53 that year, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer: Hurts and top-rated safety Jeremy Chinn. They opted for the dual-threat quarterback and Chinn went to the Carolina Panthers 11 picks later in Round 2.
“Hey, you picked the right guy,” Pederson said. “And you don’t second guess your decision. Not everybody has to be on the same page but there were a lot of us on the same page about Jalen Hurts during that draft. And, look, that’s one of the things that I love about the draft — you pick the guys who are going to help you win championships and obviously Jalen is the right guy for Philadelphia.”
Advice for Navigating the ‘Super Bowl Hangover’
The Super Bowl hangover is a real thing. Only two teams in NFL history have lost the championship one year and then returned to raise the Lombardi Trophy the next. It’s one of the hardest feats in football.
While the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles didn’t win the whole thing, they know how hard the climb back up to the mountaintop is going to be this season. Head coach Nick Sirianni already addressed it this offseason.
“We don’t give a crap about what the numbers say about who was able to get back to the Super Bowl,” Sirianni told reporters on March 28. “It’s going to take day-in and day-out work. And I know that’s cliche but when you can set your sights narrow as far as here’s what we’re focusing on today, it helps you stay focused on that day and continue to build and build and build.”
Pederson knows how much work it will take, too. One year after he guided the Eagles to a championship, they fell short in the 2018 NFC Divisional Round. It was closer than most teams get to a repeat, but a loss is a loss is a loss. Pederson shared some advice on how to cure the dreaded Super Bowl hangover.
“That is the challenge and it’s going to start at the top,” Pederson told Clark. “It’s going to start with Coach Sirianni, and how he approaches the offseason program and training camp, and I look back on those moments that I had in 2018 and how we headed into training camp and you gotta start over. You can’t rest on what you did last year. Last year is done.”
No Rooting Interest in 2024 Super Bowl
Inside the draft process that led to the Eagles landing Jalen Hurts, from @danpompei, with insight from Howie Roseman, Doug Pederson and Ian Cunningham. Maybe the most significant Sliding Doors moment in franchise history.
Andy Reid is Doug Pederson’s mentor. The Eagles are the franchise he guided to a Lombardi Trophy. Obviously, there could have been a huge conflict for Pederson when picking a team to root for in the 2024 Super Bowl. Nope. He sat back and enjoyed the game in his recliner.
“I wasn’t conflicted,” Pederson told Clark. “I appreciate the game of football and love it, and have a lot of passion for the game. Two great football teams. Andy Reid has been a mentor of mine. He coached me in Green Bay; obviously, I’ve been on his staff in Philly and in Kansas City, and then for Philadelphia, just to watch those players, some of the staff members, that were with me in Philly and you appreciate the hard work that went into getting them back into that game.”