Following Urban Meyer’s tumultuous departure in the middle of the 2021 NFL season, the Jacksonville Jaguars have already hired Doug Pederson as their new head coach. Former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson will become the seventh full-time head coach and ninth overall in the franchise’s history.
Byron Leftwich declined to take part in the investigation. Byron Leftwich, the current Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator, had previously informed the team (that had once picked him as a first-round quarterback in the first round of drafting) that he no longer wanted to be considered for the job.
Last January 27, it was claimed that the Jaguars had selected Leftwich, but that story was quickly debunked.
Doug Pederson Is Urban Meyer’s Replacement
For five seasons, Doug Pederson led the Eagles as their head coach (2016 to 2020). He was a key part of Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs staff, and he will be remembered as the head coach who guided Philadelphia to its first Super Bowl victory, defeating Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII.
The Jaguars are hoping that Pederson can help jump-start the career of second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who was the first overall choice in the 2021 Draft out of Clemson University but struggled in his first season due to Meyer’s erratic administration.
For the second year in a row, Jacksonville will hold the top overall choice in the Draft. Pederson will have to rebuild a squad devoid of elite players.
Pederson drafted quarterback Carson Wentz with Philadelphia, but after an injury in his second season in command, Nick Foles took his place and was named MVP of the aforementioned Super Bowl LII.