Malik Jackson gives Doug Pederson his seal of approval as the Jaguars HC

If you want to get the most out of your players, you need a good head coach. The Kansas City Chiefs have a good one in Andy Reid. The San Francisco 49ers also have a keeper in Kyle Shannahan. Not surprisingly, both teams are among the best in the league. The Jacksonville Jaguars, for their part, have Doug Pederson, who reached the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles. Former defensive tackle Malik Jackson believes he can do the same for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Jackson made an appearance on Up & Adams and said that Pederson is the right guy for the Jags, noting that he allows players to be themselves.

"Why is he the guy? He's established, he knows what he's doing," Jackson told host Kay Adams. "He's taken teams far before. I think he builds talent well, and I think he relates to us players. When I had some coaches down in Jacksonville, it was more of a dictatorship. That rubbed a lot of players the wrong way but I think when he comes in, it's a benevolent leader type of vibe."

"When he comes in and everybody comes in and can make a decision and really push the team to where they want to be under his leadership. He's just a coach that allows his players to be themselves and speak their minds and give input and I think that's why he's really a good coach."

Jackson, a fifth-round pick in the 2012 draft, played for Pederson in 2019-2020. He also suited up for Jacksonville from 2016-2018. In fact, he was one of their premier signings in 2016. That year, the former Tennessee Vol signed a six-year deal worth $92 million with $42 million guaranteed. Unfortunately, the team's brass believed that his production was no longer proportional to his performance and released him in 2019.

On the bright side, Jackson quickly found a new home with the Eagles, where he spent two seasons. He then joined the Cleveland Browns in 2020 and called it quits the following year. During his three-year stint in Jacksonville, the California native amassed 18 sacks, 105 total tackles, and four forced fumbles. He was also an integral piece of the Sacksonville defense in 2017 and even earned a Pro Bowl berth that season. Here's his exchange with Adams.

The Jaguars can get to the Super Bowl with Doug Pederson at the helm

As Malik Jackson pointed out, Doug Pederson has a good track record coaching in the NFL. In just his second season with the Eagles, he took them to the Super Bowl. Moreover, he made the playoffs in three of his five seasons in the City of Brotherly Love. After a one-year hiatus, he was hired to rebuild the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Coming off the Urban Meyer debacle, the Jaguars weren't in great shape. But Pederson worked his magic and took them to the postseason in 2022. While they regressed last year, there's no doubt he has what it takes to lead Jacksonville to the promise land.

There's been chatter about the Jags potentially replacing Pederson in 2025. But barring a total meltdown, it's hard to see owner Shad Khan moving on from him, especially when you factor in that he's routinely shown patience with his head coaches (the exception being Meyer, of course).

The bottom line is that the Jacksonville Jaguars have the right coach in place. He's already shown he can take them far. And with a healthy Trevor Lawrence in the mix, nobody will bat an eye if they make a deep playoff run in 2024.

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