The Jacksonville Jaguars had been one of the NFL‘s worst franchises over the last two decades. However, following the hiring of Doug Pederson, things have changed quite a bit. While players have mattered, too, the addition of Pederson and his staff has brought the team back to relevance.
Heading into his third season as the team’s head coach, here’s a look at Pederson’s coaching staff.
Jacksonville Jaguars Coaching Staff
Alongside Pederson, these are the list of names that put together the Jaguars’ staff.
- Doug Pederson, Head Coach
- ElizaBeth Harrison, Assistant to the Head Coach
- Press Taylor, Offensive Coordinator
- Phil Rauscher, Offensive Line / Run Game Coordinator
- Mike McCoy, Quarterbacks
- Chad Hall, Wide Receivers
- Richard Angulo, Tight Ends
- Jerry Mack, Running Backs
- Tyler Tettleton, Assistant Wide Receivers / Passing Game Specialist
- Greg Austin, Assistant Offensive Line
- Andrew Breiner, Assistant Quarterbacks
- Nick Williams, Offensive Quality Control
- Jamel Mutunga, Offensive Quality Control
- Ryan Nielsen, Defensive Coordinator
- Kris Richard, Defensive Backs
- Matt House, Inside Linebackers
- Cory Robinson, Defensive Assistant / Cornerbacks
- Bill Shuey, Outside Linebackers
- Jeremy Garrett, Defensive Line
- Patrick Reilly, Assistant Inside Linebackers
- Rory Segrest, Assistant Defensive Line
- Mike Gray, Assistant Secondary / Defensive Analyst
- Mario Jeberaeel, Assistant Outside Linebackers
- Heath Farwell, Special Teams Coordinator
- Luke Thompson, Assistant Special Teams
After Jacksonville’s late-season collapse in 2023, change had to be made. As a result, Pederson fired most of the team’s defensive staff, led by then-defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, and opted for something new. However, not everyone was let go.
Bill Shuey, the team’s outside linebackers coach, returned under the same position he’d held since he was hired by Jacksonville back in 2022. Additionally, defensive quality control coach Patrick Reilly and assistant defensive line coach Rory Segrest were also retained.
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A big reason for Shuey’s return is likely the success he saw with the Jaguars’ top pass rushers, Josh Allen and Travon Walker. The duo combined for a league-leading 27.5 sacks and 149 pressures, third most in the NFL.
New Additions to the Jaguars’ Coaching Staff
A few defensive coaches were retained, but almost the entire staff is new. For Pederson, the first move following Caldwell’s firing was to find a new coordinator. That ended up being Ryan Nielsen, who spent the 2023 campaign as the DC of the Atlanta Falcons.
In just one season as Atlanta’s defensive coordinator, Nielsen took the team from 26th to seventh in yards per play allowed, 31st to third in third-down defense, and 25th to eighth in pass defense. The Falcons also were 10th in pressure rate despite only blitzing the 17th most in the NFL.
#Jaguars DC Ryan Nielsen 👀 pic.twitter.com/dUyDak0FZp
— Daniel Griffis (@DanDGriffis) February 8, 2024
Another big hire defensively was Kris Richard, coaching the team’s defensive backs. Former DC of the Seattle Seahawks and co-defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints, Richard is known for fostering good pass defenses, something the Jaguars will desperately need in 2024 if they want to find next-level success.
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Finally, Jeremy Garrett, the team’s new DL coach, will attempt to revive one of Jacksonville’s biggest weaknesses from 2023. Lacking both pass rush and run defense success, the Jaguars added talent to their defensive line room, but they also retained a lot as well. Garrett’s job will be bringing out everything he can in that room to make it a strength rather than a weakness.