The Jacksonville Jaguars find themselves in a position not many would like to be in. Forget their 2-11 record for a moment. Nobody likes to lose but this is nothing out of the ordinary for them, as they’ve been able to win more than six games in a season just once in the last 11 years. On the other hand, their head coach, Urban Meyer, isn’t doing much to fix course and things could get even worse for the Jags based on how things have unfolded in recent weeks if they don’t make a change soon.
If the Jags do make a change at head coach, they can’t simply do it for the sake of it. They must bring someone who is going to do what the organization thought Meyer would when they hired him. There are going to be many enticing head coaching candidates in the next hiring cycle but one that should be at the top of the list is Doug Pederson, who was given the boot by the Philadelphia Eagles in January of 2021.
Mike Kaye of NJ Advance Media thinks Pederson would be the “perfect fit” in Jacksonville and goes on to say that he would be a “great influence” on rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Coaching candidates such as Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy will likely generate more demand but Pederson may be a better option than the two of them. In fact, here are three reasons why he would be an upgrade at head coach.
1. Doug Pederson can do for the Jaguars what he did for the Eagles.
Back when the Eagles hired Doug Pederson as Chip Kelly’s replacement, not many gave them a chance to succeed in the ‘City of Brotherly Love’. Former NFL executive and general manager Michael Lombardi was one of the harshest critics of the move, saying he”might be less qualified to coach a team than anyone I’ve ever seen in my 30-plus years in the NFL”.
In the end, Pederson proved Lombardi and all his doubters wrong, helping the Eagles win their first Super Bowl in franchise history, and he did it in just his second at the helm. However you look at it, that’s an impressive feat.
Many head coaches will take their respective teams to the playoffs in their first or second season but the list of those who earn a championship in less time than it takes to release an Avengers film is a rather exclusive one, as only Pederson, Brian Billick Baltimore Ravens), Joe Gibbs (Washington Football Team) and Barry Switzer (Dallas Cowboys) have pulled off the feat.
Pederson ended his tenure in Philly with a 42-37 record and three trips to the playoffs. Meanwhile, Doug Marrone, the only head coach that has taken the Jags to the postseason over the last 10 years was 23-43 during his stint in Jacksonville.
The former Eagles head coach says he’s looking forward to his next opportunity. The Jags committed to Urban Meyer earlier this year but things aren’t working out so far. Might as well cut their losses and bring in Pederson.
2. Doug Pederson can help Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence’s career take off.
Doug Pederson was an NFL quarterback himself, having played for four different years from 1993 to 2004. He wasn’t a star but knows how a locker room works. Also, he knows what it takes to play quarterback. That’s why he played a role in helping Carson Wentz play at a high level early in his career.
Even though the Eagles had just signed Sam Bradford in 2016, they rolled the dice on Wentz, and the move paid off, as the North Dakota State product performed at an MVP level in his sophomore campaign and played a key role in helping Philly qualify for the postseason in 2017. In the end, he got hurt and veteran Nick Foles picked up the slack in the playoffs but both quarterbacks were important in the Eagles’ Super Bowl run.
Speaking of Foles, he raised his game for the playoffs. He later flopped in Jacksonville but that’s the subject of another article. The point is Pederson can get the most out of his signal-callers, which is something the Jaguars should be interested in, as they have a young one in Trevor Lawrence.
Imagine the course Lawrence’s career could take under Pederson’s tutelage. Right now, the former Clemson Tiger is struggling but it isn’t because of a lack of talent. Week in and week out, he makes a few jaw-dropping throws that put his playmaking prowess on full display. However, Lawrence needs to turn those flashes into consistent production and Pederson could help him do so.
3. Doug Pederson’s personality is the right fit for the Jaguars.
Tom Pelissero’s recent report of tension building doesn’t paint a favorable picture of Urban Meyer and how he interacts with his players and his coaching staff. The Jaguars head coach refuted claims of him calling his assistants losers and getting into a heated argument with wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr.
Nevertheless, this isn’t the first time reports have surfaced about Meyer’s interpersonal skills or lack thereof. Often, he’s pointed fingers at his coaching staff and the players for the team’s losing ways instead of holding himself accountable. Meyer says he likes to be honest and set the bar high for his assistants but one thing is to have high standards and another one is being an a**hole. You can both be caring and demanding at the same time, these character traits aren’t exclusive of each other and Doug Pederson possesses both of them.
Pederson knows players are smart and can smell phonies. Here’s something he said early in his tenure as the head coach of the Eagles in the distant year of 2016.
"I just try to be open and honest with (the quarterbacks), and all the players, so at least they know where they stand. Players are smart. That locker room knows. So don’t hide anything. Eventually, the dust is gonna settle."
The Jaguars need someone with emotional intelligence to get them on the right path. Someone who isn’t afraid to accept mistakes instead of throwing his assistants under the bus. Pederson is that man and he’s currently a free agent. It’s not a given Shad Khan will move from Meyer this season or next year, but if he does, he must have Pederson on speed dial.