3 strengths and 2 weaknesses of Jaguars HC Doug Pederson heading into the 2023 season
• The Jaguars have a top HC in Doug Pederson
• Pederson managed a turnaround in Year 1
• There are areas in which he can improve heading into 2023
Andy Reid is currently the most successful head coach in the NFL. You could argue that Bill Belichick deserves that title since he's won more Super Bowls but the truth is that he's lost his fastball in recent years. Another reason Reid currently edges Belichick is that he's got a better coaching tree. While most of Belichick's disciplines have come crashing down, Reid's pupils have gone on to build winning teams. One of them, Doug Pederson, took over a hurting Jacksonville Jaguars team and turned them into a contender in just one year.
A former NFL player, Pederson joined Reid's staff when he was the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and progressively moved up the ranks. He was eventually given the boot. When he was hired as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, he brought Pederson with him.
Pederson's stint in Kansas City lasted three seasons before he was offered the vacancy in Philly left by Chip Kelly. Although the Eagles went 6-10 in Pederson's first season at the helm, they won Super Bowl 52 the following year. They made the playoffs once again in 2018 and 2019 but he was given his walking paper after the 2020 season.
Instead of looking for work as a coordinator or head coach, Pederson sat out the 2021 season to recharge. He then became one of the first candidates to interview for the opening the Jags had after kicking Urban Meyer to the curb.
The Jaguars met with other candidates before circling back to Pederson and making him their head coach after a lengthy search. Pederson is now entering his second season with the Jags and based on last year's sample, they should once again make noise in 2023. Moreover, expect Jacksonville to consistently compete for a playoff berth and enjoy sustained success under Pederson.
So now you know how Pederson got to the Jaguars but what truly makes him a successful head coach? What are some things that hold him back? Here are three of his strengths and two of his weaknesses.