Two NFL head coaches have already been fired during the 2024 season. Will the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Doug Pederson be next?
The Jaguars fell to 2-8 on Sunday after suffering an embarrassing defeat — 52-6 — to the Detroit Lions. Rumors have swirled around Pederson, suggesting he could be let go as soon as this week. Let’s round up the latest on the one-time Super Bowl-winning head coach as Jacksonville looks ahead to Week 12.
The Jaguars Haven’t Fired Doug Pederson…Yet
Pederson is still the Jaguars’ head coach as of Monday afternoon.
Veteran NFL insider Josina Anderson reported on Friday that while Jaguars owner Shad Khan preferred to make a decision on Pederson after the 2024 season, the club could make changes if it were blown out by the Lions on Sunday — which is precisely what happened.
Found Doug Pederson addressing Shad Khan’s preseason comments about the #Jaguars today to be interesting.
He said he didn’t tell Khan this was the best team (in Jags history) ever assembled. pic.twitter.com/Gncn53GLF0
— Zach Goodall (@zach_goodall) November 18, 2024
However, Pederson conducted his regularly scheduled news conference on Monday. He said that while he spoke with Khan after Sunday’s defeat, he hadn’t talked to the Jaguars owner on Monday. Pederson and Khan have no meeting planned for later in the day.
After Sunday’s loss, Pederson addressed his job status.
“I can’t control that,” he said. “Listen, I’ve been around this league a long time, and if it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen. But, at the same time, I still have a job to do, and that’s to get ready for a good division opponent here in two weeks.”
With the Jaguars approaching a bye in Week 12, changes could have theoretically been on the horizon. But it would seem odd for Jacksonville to put Pederson in front of the media on Monday only to fire him later in the week.
If Jacksonville gives Pederson his pink slip in-season, quarterbacks coach Mike McCoy would make sense as an interim option. McCoy went 27-37 as the Los Angeles Chargers head coach from 2013 to 2016.
Pederson got off to a strong start in Jacksonville. After going 3-14 and firing Urban Meyer in 2021, the Jaguars hired Pederson in 2022 and experienced an immediate turnaround. Pederson got Trevor Lawrence back on track while leading Jacksonville to a 9-8 record and a victory in the AFC Wild Card round.
In 2023, the Jags looked like one of the AFC’s best teams after going 8-3 in the first 11 games. But Jacksonville cratered down the stretch, going 1-5 in the final six weeks, including an embarrassing season-ending loss to the Tennessee Titans when a playoff berth was on the line.
Will the Jaguars Make Other Changes?
Pederson hasn’t fired any staff members so far this year. On Monday, he suggested that changes aren’t necessarily upcoming.
“I think you gotta be really careful when you start pointing fingers at certain people,” Pederson said via Mia O’Brien of 1010XL. “If you’re gonna point a finger, point it at me.”
Pederson was the Jaguars’ offensive play-caller during his 2022 debut campaign. Since then, he’s turned over OC duties to Press Taylor and refused to retake the reins despite Jacksonville’s ongoing struggles.
I asked Doug Pederson if “playcalling” is one of the things that is being evaluated / may change.
Answer (in video form especially) is worth the 20 seconds #Jaguars | #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/EssV0OkDio
— Mia O'Brien (@MiaOBrienTV) November 18, 2024
Pederson has always been fiercely loyal to Taylor. His refusal to fire Taylor was at least one of the reasons he lost his head coaching position with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Still, Jacksonville’s offense — even with Mac Jones under center during the past two weeks — has been more efficient than the club’s defense.
The Jags’ defense ranks dead last in EPA per play and is allowing 28.7 points per game, third-worst in the NFL. First-year coordinator Ryan Nielsen got results with the Atlanta Falcons defense in 2023 but hasn’t had anywhere near the same sort of success in Jacksonville this season.
On Monday, Pederson said “we’re not there yet” when asked about firing Nielsen.
If Nielsen is let go later this year, defensive backs coach Kris Richard will likely take over. Richard and Nielsen were co-defensive coordinators for the New Orleans Saints in 2022.