When the Jacksonville Jaguars dismissed head coach Doug Pederson early in 2025, they also ousted his right-hand man Press Taylor. While Pederson isn't currently coaching in the NFL, Taylor joined Ben Johnson's staff with the Chicago Bears as the pass game coordinator.
This raised eyebrows at the time because Taylor failed to get the most out of his unit in Jacksonville. Nevertheless, Johnson likes him enough that he's now promoted him to offensive coordinator.
The Bears are giving Press Taylor the same title he had with the Jaguars
Following the 2025 season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that the Bears promoted Press Taylor to offensive coordinator, noting that the move will offer continuity after Declan Coyle's departure to the Baltimore Ravens. Other outlets have since confirmed the news.
Taylor began his NFL career as an assistant under Doug Pederson when he was the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. He progressively moved up the ranks, with Pederson wanting to promote him to offensive coordinator in 2021. However, owner Jeff Lurie didn't approve of the move, and the disagreement was one of the reasons Pederson resigned.
Once Pederson became the head coach in Jacksonville in 2022, he brought Taylor along with him. He handed him playcalling duty full-time the following year. The promotion raised concerns, as the offense struggled when he was calling the shots in 2023 and 2024.
In his last season with the Jags, Pederson went as far as throwing players under the bus to defend his protege. To make matters worse, the offense became an echo chamber of ideas between the two. Couple that with the fact that the Jags couldn't get the offense going and struggled to win games, and both of them were given the boot in 2025.
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Former Jaguars OC Press Taylor is stepping out of the shadow of Doug Pederson
You could make the case that Doug Pederson deserves praise for never stopping believing in Press Taylor. But that unwavering support ultimately held them back during their time with the Jaguars. Now, Taylor has a chance to rebuild his stock and step out of his mentor's shadow.
Taylor will get a chance to prove that he's his own man, or perhaps he learned the reasons that led to his downfall and will try to make the most of his opportunity to learn under Ben Johnson, one of the brightest offensive minds in the NFL. On the other hand, there's a chance his stint with the Bears will unfold as it did in Jacksonville.
Keep in mind that Johnson will continue to call the plays, and if Taylor doesn't offer insight or share his creative output, his promotion will be moot. You want your offensive coordinator to provide a fresh perspective and bring attention to whatever the head coach overlooked.
Press Taylor didn't do that with the Jaguars, and if he hasn't changed, the Bears are going to quickly find out why he got kicked to the curb to begin with.