The Jacksonville Jaguars have hired Doug Pederson as their new head coach. The franchise confirmed the news via social media on Friday.
Pederson, who has a Super Bowl win on his resume as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, was the first candidate the Jags interviewed for the position after firing Urban Meyer midway through the 2021 NFL season. The franchise did their due diligence and looked into several more candidates, including Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and ex-Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell, but circled back to Pederson.
“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 in a team-released statement. “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.”
Pederson, who previously worked as an offensive coordinator under Andy Reid, spent five years as Philly’s head coach. He compiled a 42–37–1 head-coaching record while leading the franchise to three postseason trips. The one in 2017 culminated with a Super Bowl win over the heavily-favored New England Patriots. The Eagles fired the 54-year-old after going 4-11-1 in 2020.
In Jacksonville, Pederson faces the challenging task of getting the Jags back on the winning path. Since their trip to AFC Championship in 2017, the Jaguars haven’t had a winning season and have a combined record of 15-50.
