Getty Eagles head coach Doug Pederson is on the hot seat in Philadelphia.
Doug Pederson is bringing his talents to Jacksonville. The man who guided the Philadelphia Eagles to their lone Super Bowl championship will become the seventh head coach in Jaguars’ franchise history.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news that Pederson had already talked to Trevor Lawerence on the phone. The 54-year-old was the first person to interview for the Jaguars opening and a successful second meeting with team brass sealed the deal. Pederson spent 2021 away from football after getting fired by the Eagles in 2020.
He’ll look to turn the tide on a sad-sack organization that has only recorded one winning season (above. 500) over their last 14 miserable years. Pederson has been credited for developing quarterbacks like Carson Wentz, Michael Vick, Alex Smith in previous stops. Now he gets a crack at molding Lawrence, plus the Jaguars own the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft.
“Doug Pederson four years ago won a Super Bowl as head coach of a franchise in pursuit of its first world championship,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said, via John Reid. “I hope Doug can replicate that magic here in Jacksonville. But what is certain is his proven leadership and experience as a winning head coach in the National Football League.
“It’s exactly what our players deserve. Nothing less. Combine this with his acumen on the offensive side of the ball. And you have why I am proud to name Doug Pederson the new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. I know our fans will warmly welcome Doug and his family to Duval.”
The Jaguars had been zeroing in on Byron Leftwich to be their next head coach, but he suddenly withdrew his name from consideration. The offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — and former Jaguars quarterback — had a difference of opinion with ownership on the general manager position, according to reports.
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Jaguars Face Eagles in 2022
Pederson will lead the Jaguars into Lincoln Financial Field to face the Eagles in 2022. Dates and times haven’t been announced yet, but Jacksonville is locked in as a home opponent for Philadelphia. The Jaguars get the entire NFC East in 2022 so Pederson will also see the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders, New York Giants.
#Eagles 2022 schedule of opponents is now set:
Home: Cowboys, Giants, Washington, Packers, Vikings, Jaguars, Titans, Saints, Steelers.
Road: Cowboys, Giants, Washington, Bears, Lions, Texans, Colts, Cardinals.
One more thing: Pederson will square off against Carson Wentz and the Indianapolis Colts twice next season by virtue of playing in the AFC South. So, yes, interesting storylines everywhere.
Blueprint for Winning Starts Under Center
Pederson was a former quarterback himself so he understands how important getting that position right is. He obviously believes Lawrence can be the guy in Jacksonville with the proper supporting cast and good coaching. The legendary backup to Brett Favre in Green Bay detailed “How to Build A Super Bowl Winning QB Room” for The 33rd Team.
“Once you’ve identified that player, it is paramount to his development and growth to put him in a position to be successful right when he steps on the field,” Pederson wrote. “You don’t want your guy to fail early.”
Doug Pederson: How to Build A Super Bowl Winning QB Room
He also stressed the importance of continuing to add talent to the room. C.J. Beatherd is the backup in Jacksonville. Don’t be surprised to see them go sign a veteran and draft a developmental quarterback in the later rounds.
“Right now, lacking a strong backup is an inefficiency that some teams in the NFL have,” Pederson wrote. “Some just focus on the starter and fail to put significant resources into their backup.”
Six Coaches Hired, Three Openings Left
Six new head coaches have been hired since the 2021 regular season ended. Guess what? Every single one of them is a white male. That trend was drawing eye rolls on Twitter late Thursday night, especially after Brian Flores launched a bombshell lawsuit against the NFL alleging systemic racism.
That one will play itself out in the courts. Meanwhile, three coaching vacancies remain: Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans. Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy might be flying to New Orleans for an interview, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Bieniemy is widely considered the best minority candidate out there.
The Saints want to speak with Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy for the head coaching job, per sources. An interview could take place Saturday.