Doug Pederson

Doug Pederson Not Considering Reclaiming Jaguars’ Play-Calling Role

Uncertainty about the Jaguars’ play-calling situation persisted throughout the offseason, and fans were kept in the dark about the matter even into the campaign’s first month. Doug Pederson shed some light on the issue in the wake of the team’s fourth loss of the season.

It is indeed OC Press Taylor holding the call sheet, as the longtime Pederson lieutenant did last season and as he did to start the preseason. While Pederson said days before the season he had not decided who would call plays and then did not clear up this matter to start the year, Taylor is at the controls for what has been a tough Jags start.

[RELATED: Pederson-Trent Baalke Relationship Strained?]

When asked if he would consider retaking play-calling duties, the third-year Jacksonville HC quickly shot down that notion (via ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco) and praised Taylor. The former Super Bowl-winning HC then shifted some blame onto his players, which should do nothing to cool down a seat that has warmed up as the team has gone from authorizing three big-ticket extensions to 0-4.

For what? I thought he called a great game,” Pederson said of Taylor. “As coaches, we can’t go out there and make the plays. It’s a two-way street. So you guys can sit here and point the finger all you want and it’s fine. Point it right at me, I can take it. OK.”

Pederson served as the Jags’ primary play-caller in his first season, which — perhaps not coincidentally — finished best, as the 9-8 team rallied to the divisional round and gave the eventual Super Bowl-winning Chiefs a scare. That came after a historic wild-card comeback win. Although the Jaguars reached 8-3 last season, they have now lost nine of their past 10 games. Trevor Lawrence has lost his past nine starts. with the quarterback completing just 53.3% of his passes. The former No. 1 pick connected on 66.3% of his throws in 2022 and 65.6% last season. Despite the Jaguars signing Gabriel Davis and then drafting Brian Thomas Jr. in Round 1, their passing game has regressed.

Pederson standing up for Taylor is not new. He employed Press Taylor, the younger brother of Bengals HC Zac Taylor, throughout his Philadelphia tenure. Press Taylor had arrived as a Chip Kelly hire in 2013 but climbed the ladder under Pederson. He became Philly’s QBs coach in 2018 and added the title of pass-game coordinator in 2020. After a 4-12 2020 season that involved the Eagles benching Carson Wentz, Pederson pitched an idea of promoting Taylor to OC to Eagles ownership. Many in the organization were leery of Taylor jumping another rung on the coaching ladder. Philly brass passing on that proposal helped lead Pederson out of town in January 2021.

This offseason, owner Shad Khan seemed to voice a preference for Pederson returning to the play-calling role. After all, Jacksonville’s HC called signals throughout his time running the Eagles and had taken the call sheet at points under Andy Reid in Kansas City. Considering the hot-seat rumors tied to Pederson, he has shown tremendous faith in Taylor.

With the Jags 0-4 after giving Lawrence, Josh Hines-Allen and Tyson Campbell the three most lucrative deals in team history, Khan is undoubtedly losing faith in the hire he made in 2022. Pederson may well be coaching for his job in Week 5, even though he is the first HC to lead this franchise to back-to-back winning seasons wince Jack Del Rio from 2004-05. Khan has fired two coaches (Gus Bradley, Urban Meyer) in-season. It may well be an upset at this point if that number does not expand to three before year’s end.

Relationship Between Doug Pederson, Trent Baalke “Strained”; Latest On Jaguars’ HC, GM

Earlier this week, it was reported that Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson’s job could soon be in jeopardy given his team’s uninspired, 0-3 start to the 2024 season. Sources that spoke to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post appear to be in agreement that Jacksonville will indeed be making changes to its coaching staff and/or front office in the near future.

One GM told La Canfora that Pederson would be the first HC dismissed this year, and that, “it’s just a matter of time now. [Trevor Lawrence] hasn’t looked right since they made the playoffs [in 2022], [Pederson]’s offense is terrible, and the defensive coordinator (Ryan Nielsen) looks totally in over his head. That’s a bad football team.”

On the other hand, sources tell Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that it is unclear exactly what changes owner Shad Khan could realistically make in-season. While much of the blame for the Jags’ poor start has been focused on Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor – which is understandable, given that the team currently ranks 30th in scoring – there is no clear choice to replace either man on the coaching staff at the moment.

Mike McCoy, who currently serves as Jacksonville’s quarterbacks coach, has not coordinated an offense since 2018, when he worked as the Cardinals’ head coach and oversaw a unit that struggled, which led to his own midseason ouster. And while Pederson could certainly take play-calling duties back from Taylor – as owner Shad Khan not-so-subtly suggested should happen back in June – retaining Pederson while firing Taylor seems unlikely.

“No one on staff can replace what Press does for [Pederson],” a source told Jones. Added another source, I understand everyone’s narrative would be to fire Press. But even from a practical standpoint, I don’t know how you successfully game plan if you fire him. You’re wasting [Lawrence’s] season by doing that.”

Our story from a few days ago indicated that GM Trent Baalke was perhaps on firmer footing than Pederson, though the Jaguars’ struggles obviously are not doing him any favors either. Both Jones and La Canfora make note of Baalke’s ill-fated decision to use the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft on Travon Walker rather than Aidan Hutchinson, to say nothing of the top-of-the-market extension authorized for Lawrence this offseason, a transaction that has already garnered heavy criticism.

Per Jones, the relationship between Baalke and Pederson is strained, and there is “misalignment from owner to GM and head coach.” Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano, like Jones, says the fact that there is no obvious Pederson replacement on the staff could help the embattled HC at least get the chance to finish out the year. That said, if the losses continue to mount, Khan may feel compelled to pull the trigger on a midseason overhaul, in which case he might be making a call to Bill Belichick.

Doug Pederson Moving Toward Hot Seat?

Shad Khan addressed Doug Pederson‘s potential hot-seat status in a hypothetical manner this offseason. After an 0-3 start, the former Super Bowl-winning HC is losing the benefit of the doubt. As the Jaguars head toward their London stretch, Pederson may soon be coaching for his job.

Hired after Khan’s embarrassing Urban Meyer decision, Pederson had restored credibility to a downtrodden franchise by producing an AFC South title in 2022. Last season brought a disappointing finish, but the team doubled down on its core this offseason — while supplementing it via free agency — by authorizing the three most lucrative extensions (for Trevor Lawrence, Josh Hines-Allen and Tyson Campbell) in franchise history. A miserable Monday outing in Buffalo left Pederson’s team searching for answers, and Khan may be growing restless.

Pederson’s status will be one to monitor in the coming weeks, with SI.com’s Albert Breer indicating during a Dan Patrick Show appearance a lot is probably at stake for big names in this organization over the next few weeks. Adding to what may soon become a clear status, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano labels Pederson a candidate for an in-season firing if the team cannot rebound quickly.

While fourth-year GM Trent Baalke‘s status should be one to monitor here as well, it appears he is safer than Pederson presently. Despite Pederson having coached the Jags to back-to-back winning seasons — the franchise’s first such instance since the 2004-05 seasons — Khan publicly labeled this the most talented roster in Jaguars history. Although that seems a bit extreme considering Jacksonville’s 1999 team went 14-2 and featured seven Pro Bowlers (including Hall of Famer Tony Boselli), Khan’s stance nevertheless turns up the head for his current HC.

After a promising close to the 2022 season and an 8-3 start last year, the Jags are 1-8. The win came in a game Lawrence missed due to injury. Lawrence dealt with several injuries last season, helping explain his tailspin. But the former No. 1 overall pick is healthy now. He has completed just 52.8% of his passes (at 6.3 yards per attempt) while ranking 25th in QBR. Injuries at other spots in Jacksonville’s lineup, particularly on defense, are hurting the team. But Lawrence’s struggles bring bigger-picture questions, considering the team recently matched Joe Burrow‘s then-record-setting AAV ($55MM) to extend him.

Neither Lawrence nor Jordan Love produced enough to earn extensions at that rate, but this is how the QB market functions right now. With the Packers paying for future performance, the Jags are eyeing a leap from the former Clemson prodigy. With guarantees stretching into 2027, the team has seen its centerpiece player submit a concerning start. Pederson and/or OC Press Taylor taking the fall for this should probably be considered in play, with the Jags’ London stretch (Weeks 6 and 7) — or maybe even the two upcoming games — potentially doubling as the do-or-die window.

The England games profile as a big spot for the Khan-led team, since it plays two games overseas — as Khan also owns a Premier League franchise (Fulham FC). The Jags heading to Europe at 0-5 or 1-4 will test the owner’s patience, and he has fired coaches in-season twice in the past decade. In addition’s to Khan canning Meyer during his disastrous season in charge, he axed Gus Bradley during a historically unsuccessful tenure. How Jags ownership went about replacing Bradley suddenly seems relevant.

When the Jags removed Doug Marrone’s interim tag in 2017, Breer notes that decision came largely on the recommendation of Bill Belichick. The legendary coach continues to have a strong relationship with Jags chief football strategy officer Tony Khan (Shad’s son), Breer adds. Dot connecting would point to the Jags considering the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC-turned-omnipresent media figure in 2025, if Pederson cannot turn this operation around.

Belichick’s age will be an issue for teams, as no franchise has hired a head coach older than 66. Belichick would be 73 before Week 1 of the 2025 season, but he obviously brings credentials that will lap everyone else on next year’s HC carousel. That did not matter much this year, as six of the seven non-Patriots HC-seeking teams ignored him, but Jacksonville would be an interesting spot for the coach Pederson beat in Super Bowl LII. Thus far, Belichick had only been closely tied to NFC East destinations. Jacksonville, which did not join Dallas and Philly in considering firing its current HC after last season, may also loom as a legitimate possibility.

As for Pederson, he is 1-for-8 in 10-win seasons; the exception — the Eagles’ dominant 2017 squad — has carried the former Andy Reid staffer. Carson Wentz also rose to an MVP frontrunner before declining over the course of Pederson’s tenure, and Taylor loomed as a factor in the HC’s Eagles ouster. Philadelphia brass was uninspired by Pederson’s aim of promoting Taylor to OC after the 2020 season, and Pederson then brought one of his Philly right-hand men with him as OC in 2022. Taylor received the play-calling reins on a full-time basis in 2023.

The Jags kept their play-calling plans close to the vest this offseason, but Khan seemed to voice a preference for Pederson taking back control. Taylor still plays a key role in play-calling, but at this point, it would be rather odd if Pederson — who called plays throughout his Eagles tenure and served as the Jags’ primary conductor during the 2022 divisional-round season — did not take the lead here.

This regime is running out of time. Even though the Jags have been one of the NFL’s worst franchises under Khan ahead of Pederson at least moving it to a mid-pack operation, it would not be difficult to see another reboot — albeit around some pricey contracts — come to pass if Lawrence and Co. cannot recover soon.

Jaguars Undecided On Week 1 Play-Caller

The Jaguars switched their primary play-caller just before last season. At least, it was revealed they would do so shortly before their 2023 slate began. The team’s performance — particularly down the stretch last year — has made this topic one of the top issues coming out of Jacksonville this summer.

Days before Week 1, Doug Pederson may or may not know where the call sheet will reside Sunday. The third-year Jags HC said Wednesday (via ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco) he has not decided if he or OC Press Taylor will call plays.

[RELATED: Assessing Jaguars’ 2024 Offseason]

Pederson did say Taylor will be on the sideline, as opposed to in the press box, on gamedays. But the former Super Bowl-winning HC is either leaving the audience in suspense or is taking this rather important decision down to the wire. Pederson served as the Jags’ primary play-caller in 2022 but handed the reins to Taylor last year.

As of the team’s preseason opener, Taylor still held this role. However, Shad Khan injected himself into the proceedings earlier this offseason. Addressing a report that indicated Pederson could be on the hot seat, the owner said he would want to call plays were he in that situation. Khan did not confirm Pederson was on the hot seat, but it did appear the owner would prefer the former Eagles play-caller take the Jags gig back.

Were Pederson truly on the hot seat, it would be odd if he entrusted Taylor once again. Then again, Eagles ownership disagreeing with Pederson’s plan to promote Taylor to OC was among the reasons the HC was forced out of Philadelphia.

Trevor Lawrence‘s injuries hindered Taylor’s first full-time play-calling effort last season, but the team plummeting from 8-3 to 9-8 and out of the playoffs clearly dropped the third-year OC’s stock. Pederson certainly suffered from the collapse as well. Even though the freefall led to DC Mike Caldwell and most of his staff being shown the door, Jags GM Trent Baalke took a long look at the state of the offense as last season deteriorated. It would be interesting, then, to see Taylor back in the role.

Jacksonville made personnel changes on offense, swapping out Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones with Gabriel Davis and Brian Thomas Jr. The team also changed centers, signing longtime Bills blocker Mitch Morse. We will soon find out if another key change is coming.

Latest On Jaguars OC Press Taylor

For now, at least, Jaguars OC Press Taylor is still the team’s offensive play-caller. Mia O’Brien of 1010 XL noted prior to last night’s preseason opener against the Chiefs that Taylor would call the plays in that contest, and that he would do so from the field as opposed to the booth.

In 2022, Doug Pederson’s first year as Jacksonville’s head coach, Pederson himself handled play-calling duties, and the Jags finished 10th in the league in both points and total offense. Pederson handed the reins to Taylor in advance of the 2023 season, and the club slipped to 13th in both categories and 18th in DVOA. Plus, quarterback Trevor Lawrence did not take the step forward that many anticipated (though that did not stop Lawrence from securing a massive extension in June, which is more of a testament to the exploding QB market than the former Clemson star’s performance to date).

This offseason, GM Trent Baalke was rumored to be taking a hard look into the state of the club’s offense, and Taylor in particular. Obviously, both Pederson and Taylor remain in their respective posts, though the 2024 season will be pivotal for the Duval County futures of the HC/OC duo. Owner Shad Khan made some pointed comments on the matter back in June.

Referencing a New York Times piece alluding to Pederson’s job security, Khan said, “if I were in that situation, I’d want my hands on the wheel. But I don’t want to tell people ‘we need to do it’ because then things don’t work out, they look at me and say, ‘we did it because you wanted it.… Doug, he’s empowered. I’m going to let him decide.”

O’Brien did not indicate whether Pederson has even considered a reprisal of his role as play-caller, and it would qualify as something of a surprise if he did, given his steadfast loyalty to Taylor. Indeed, when he was serving as the Eagles’ head coach, Pederson reportedly wanted to promote Taylor – who was Philadelphia’s quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator at the time – to offensive coordinator following the 2020 season. Pederson’s disagreements with team brass in that regard led to a mutual parting of the ways just two years after he stewarded the Eagles to their first and only Super Bowl title.

Pederson’s only recent comments about Taylor’s duties pertained to his protege’s move to the field from the booth. “You feel connected to the game a little more [on the field],” Pederson said. “Early in my career, I was in the box as well. Little more challenging up there.”

Nothing about that, of course, indicates that Pederson is contemplating a more dramatic change.

Shad Khan Addresses Jaguars’ Play-Calling Situation, 2023 Shortcomings

Entering Week 13 competing for the AFC’s No. 1 seed, the Jaguars tumbled to a disappointing 9-8 finish. This led to Doug Pederson canning most of his defensive staff. As for Pederson and the offensive staff, this figures to be an important season — especially now that the Jags extended Trevor Lawrence at a record-tying rate.

Lawrence is now tied to a five-year, $275MM deal, but the contract comes after the former No. 1 overall pick did not build on his late-season 2022 success. Injuries played a central role in Lawrence’s underwhelming third season, but the heat is on Pederson and OC-turned-play-caller Press Taylor.

After Pederson served as the Jags’ primary play-caller in 2022, he handed the reins to Taylor before the ’23 season. A former Pederson assistant in Philadelphia, Taylor — the younger brother of Bengals HC Zac Taylor — had not been a primary play-caller previously. Pederson has not said if he will reclaim those duties this season, but Shad Khan made an interesting comment about the situation. Referencing a New York Times piece alluding to the third-year HC’s job security, the owner said, “If I were in that situation, I’d want my hands on the wheel.”

Yeah, I have an opinion,” Khan said, via the Associated Press’ Mark Long, on the Jags’ play-calling situation. “But I don’t want to tell people ‘We need to do it’ because then things don’t work out, they look at me and say, ‘We did it because you wanted it.… Doug, he’s empowered. I’m going to let him decide.”

Khan did not indicate this is a do-or-die season for Pederson, though his hypothetical comment regarding the situation could certainly be perceived as the owner having a preference for the head coach taking back the reins. GM Trent Baalke also was believed to be taking a close look at the state of the offense during the season’s final weeks.

The Jags only dropped from 10th to 13th in scoring (DVOA placed Jacksonville’s offense 18th) between 2022 and 2023, but after a strong finish covered for a sluggish start in Pederson’s Jacksonville debut, his 2023 follow-up’s fortunes nosedived in the second half. Lawrence finished in the same QBR position (17th) as 2022, but after the team gave the fourth-year passer a $55MM-per-year deal, it stands to reason it expects a jump from the former elite prospect.

If Taylor lands another shot as the team’s play-caller, it will certainly come with high stakes for the 36-year-old assistant. Pederson showed enough confidence in Taylor he wanted to promote him to OC in Philly following the 2020 season. Eagles ownership disagreed, leading to Pederson’s dismissal two years after Super Bowl LII.

When addressing the events of last season as a whole, Khan called it an “organizational failure.” The Jags, who also made franchise-tagged defender Josh Allen the NFL’s second-highest-paid edge rusher, have one 10-win season during Khan’s 12-year ownership tenure.

Injuries are a part of the game. We had some of those injuries, but I think it’s organizational failure that it happened,” Khan said. “All of these players I talked to, it’s like how could this happen? What happened?

For me, it’s really a cause for self-reflection and then something good to come out of it because we just can’t have that this year.

Pederson’s first season gave Khan some cover for his disastrous Urban Meyer decision, one he backtracked on in less than a year. Although Khan fired Meyer and 2012 hire Mike Mularkey after one season, the Jags owner gave Doug Marrone four-plus seasons and Gus Bradley nearly four years despite the latter’s tenure producing a historically bad .226 win percentage. But the Jags have been one of the NFL’s worst franchises under Khan’s ownership.

The Pederson-Lawrence partnership represents a gateway to potential contender status, and were Khan to fire the former Super Bowl-winning HC, it would tie the franchise quarterback — the only one left standing with his original team from 2021’s five-QB first round — to a third offensive scheme in five seasons. This is a rather deep AFC, however, and it will be challenging for the Jaguars to infiltrate the conference’s top tier. The team will hope a Lawrence leap can elevate the roster, one that added two new wide receivers (Gabe Davis, first-rounder Brian Thomas Jr.) and veteran linemen in Arik Armstead and Mitch Morse, this offseason.

Latest On Brandon McManus Lawsuit

TODAY, 5:25pm: Florio has provided more insight into the lawsuit and the impending impact it could have on the Jaguars organization. Florio understands that the suit will cite witnesses who claim that Jaguars players brought alcohol on the team flight.

As Florio noted earlier this week, the NFL prohibits the serving and consumption of alcohol on team flights. Following a pair of 2022 incidents, the NFL warned of severe punishment for future violations. While the Jaguars may claim ignorance (as coach Doug Pederson did earlier this week), Florio adds that it’s the “obligation” of NFL teams “to ensure players follow” the rule.

TUESDAY, 7:50pm: Veteran kicker Brandon McManus has been accused of sexually assaulting two flight attendants while he was playing with the Jaguars in 2023. After the news broke yesterday, we heard from McManus’s camp, the Jaguars, and his current team, the Commanders. Now, we’re hearing from his former coach, as Doug Pederson revealed that he only learned about the lawsuit when the news broke yesterday.

[RELATED: Commanders K Brandon McManus Named In Sexual Assault Lawsuit]

“I saw the article that came out,” Pederson said today (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). “Obviously, disappointing to hear the news that took place. You know, other than that, honestly, being that it’s a legal matter at this time, I can’t really comment until more information is gathered.”

McManus is accused of rubbing himself against the anonymous plaintiffs during the Jaguars’ flight to London on September 28, 2023. The suit claims that the player was passing out cash to have the plane’s staff members “drink and dance inappropriately for him.” The suit also alleges that the kicker was among the members of the team who turned the flight into a “party,” a crucial note that could drag the Jaguars further into the controversy.

As Florio notes, the NFL frowns upon teams serving and consuming alcohol on team flights. Florio cites a pair of 2022 incidents. First, Titans OC Todd Downing was arrested for DUI “under a timeline that suggested he was drinking on the plane.” Later, Commanders players were disciplined for having beer on a return flight. At the time, the NFL sent a “strongly worded” memo that future penalties for consumption “would be even worse” and could include “significant discipline.”

“A typical flight is not that way, it’s a business trip,” Pederson said today (via Florio). “It’s a business trip. And that’s how we approach it from an organizational standpoint, you know, from the league standpoint. So, for that — when I read that, that part was disappointing.”

Meanwhile, lawyer Tony Buzbee will be representing the pair of women in the lawsuit, per Florio. Buzbee is known for representing the 20 women who accused Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct. In a statement, the lawyer hinted that he tried to settle with McManus before filing the suit.

“We filed the case on Friday, but before that filing we attempted, without success, to resolve this matter without the need for litigation,” Buzbee wrote. “Our efforts at resolution were met with arrogance, ignorance and stupidity, strikingly similar to how Deshaun Watson’s team responded when we tried to resolve those cases pre-filing.”

McManus’s representation called the allegations “absolutely fictitious and demonstrably false.” The lawsuit is calling for a jury trial and damages in excess of $1MM.

Jaguars OC Press Taylor To Serve As Primary Play-Caller

Jaguars OC Press Taylor will serve as the team’s primary offensive play-caller in 2023, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Taylor, who joined the team in 2022 as part of head coach Doug Pederson‘s first Jacksonville staff, called plays in the second halves of games last year and will now get the chance to run the show on a full-time basis.

“I totally trust Press,” Pederson said. “We think alike. We’ve been together for a long time, and he’s around [quarterback] Trevor [Lawrence] all the time and knows what Trevor likes.”

Taylor worked under Pederson on the latter’s Eagles staffs from 2016-20, operating as a quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator. Pederson reportedly wanted to promote Taylor to offensive coordinator in Philadelphia following the 2020 season, and his disagreements with the organization in that regard led to a mutual parting of the ways. Pederson spent the 2021 season away from the NFL while Taylor worked as a senior offensive assistant with the Colts. The two men reunited in Duval last year, with Taylor landing the OC post.

After a disappointing rookie season in 2021 under then-HC Urban Meyer, Lawrence thrived in the Pederson-Taylor offense in 2022, throwing 25 TDs against just eight inteceptions and leading the Jags to a stirring victory in the wildcard round of the playoffs. The Jags finished 10th in the league in both total offense and points per game, and there is reason to believe that they will perform even better this season.

While it would be fair to question whether this move is an attempt to fix a problem that doesn’t exist — as former Jaguars beat writer and current Bills reporter Ryan O’Halloran suggested — Pederson will obviously continue to have a significant role in the offensive design and gameday preparation. Plus, as Pederson himself noted, his own career trajectory unfolded in a similar fashion.

“It’s kind of like coach [Andy] Reid did with me in 2015 in Kansas City,” Pederson said. “Coach Reid would call the first half and he would let me call the second half with a very watchful eye.”

“Press is a smart coach who has been in the league a long time. He’s going to be a head coach one day,” Pederson added. “What better time than right now with the team we have to get that experience?”

The Jaguars’ new arrangement will get its first test against the division-rival Colts in the regular season opener today.

Eagles Were Split On Jalen Hurts’ Trajectory During 2020 Draft

The Eagles’ 2020 first-round decision generated some intrigue, especially as Justin Jefferson made a quick ascent to the All-Pro level and put together the most prolific three-year receiving stretch to start a career in NFL history. The Eagles were split on Jefferson and Jalen Reagor, going with the latter, who was preferred by Howie Roseman and the team’s coaching staff.

That call obviously proved incorrect, with Reagor now one of Jefferson’s sidekicks in Minnesota after an August 2022 trade. But the Eagles made a better choice, albeit an unexpected one, a round later. An extensive research effort into Jalen Hurts, which had begun during his senior year at Oklahoma, led Philly to pull the trigger on the ex-Sooners quarterback in Round 2. The move came despite the organization having extended Carson Wentz less than a year prior.

The Eagles decided on Hurts over safety Jeremy Chinn, with some in the organization preferring to add the Southern Illinois product — who later went to the Panthers at the end of Round 2 — instead of taking a quarterback so early. Again, the Roseman-Doug Pederson preference won out.

Coach Pederson and myself liked Jeremy Chinn, but our job is to determine the vision and then make sure it’s executed,” Roseman said, via The Athletic’s Dan Pompei (subscription required). “So when we were on the clock and having those conversations, it really came down to the quarterback versus safety. The quarterback we like. The safety we like. We’re going with the quarterback.”

Hurts as a second-round option came about partially because the organization did not want a repeat of 2012, when it intended to take Russell Wilson in the third round before seeing the Seahawks swoop and taking the future Pro Bowl mainstay at No. 75. With no pro days in 2020 — due to the COVID-19 pandemic — the Eagles did not have a good idea how other teams valued Hurts, with Pompei adding the team believed it was possible the ex-Oklahoma and Alabama passer fell into Round 3. But the Wilson experience helped lead to the Eagles ruling out the prospect of waiting until Round 3 for Hurts.

Philly made that pivotal pick at No. 51 overall, leading to outside skepticism due to Wentz’s presence. Some inside the Eagles’ building were not entirely sold on Hurts as well.

[Hurts] was a polarizing figure in the sense that some people liked him, some saw him as a developmental quarterback and some thought he was a backup,” former Eagles exec Ian Cunningham, now the Bears’ assistant GM, said (via Pompei). “I thought he was a developmental quarterback that had upside.”

At the time, the team based the move on wanting a better backup option behind Wentz. Teams do not exactly make a habit of choosing backup QBs in Round 2, but the Eagles have needed a number of QB2 contributions this century. Donovan McNabb went down with a broken ankle during the 2002 season, leading to A.J. Feeley and Koy Detmer seeing extensive time for an Eagles team that earned the NFC’s top seed. McNabb was lost for the year late in the 2006 season, moving UFA addition Jeff Garcia into the fray. The organization’s controversial decision to sign Michael Vick after his prison term in 2009 led to him replacing McNabb in 2010, and 2012 third-rounder Nick Foles eventually usurped Vick three years later. Foles delivered one of the NFL’s most famous fill-in performances in 2017, taking over for an injured Wentz to lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl title. The Eagles, however, soon made bigger plans for Hurts.

The Eagles cleared the Hurts move with Wentz, with Pederson calling his then-starter to inform him of the pick. But the five-year Eagle struggled in 2020, leading to a late-season benching. The Eagles soon traded Wentz to the Colts, and Jeffrey Lurie angled for the organization not to bring in a starter-caliber QB in 2021. That led to Hurts being given a legitimate opportunity. Lurie was believed to be behind Hurts, even when Roseman had questions about his ceiling, and the Eagles — after showing interest in Wilson and Deshaun Watson — stuck with the former second-rounder last year.

Philly staying with Hurts turned out to be a seminal decision, as the team booked another Super Bowl berth. The Eagles went 16-1 in games Hurts started prior to the Chiefs matchup, with the third-year QB showing significant improvement as a passer. Hurts’ 2022 season earned him a then-record-setting five-year, $255MM extension from the Eagles in April. The Eagles also greenlit their Wentz extension shortly after he became extension-eligible; they will hope the Hurts Year 4 investment turns out better.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

After the 2022 offseason produced 10 new head coaches, this one brought a step back in terms of turnover. Five teams changed HCs, though each conducted thorough searches — four of them lasting until at least January 31.

The Colts and Cardinals hired their HCs after Super Bowl LVII, plucking the Eagles’ offensive and defensive coordinators (Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon). The Cardinals were hit with a tampering penalty regarding their Gannon search. Conducting their second HC search in two years, the Broncos saw multiple candidates drop out of the running. But Denver’s new ownership group convinced Sean Payton to step out of the FOX studio and back onto the sidelines after just one season away. The Panthers made this year’s first hire (Frank Reich), while the Texans — running their third HC search in three years — finalized an agreement with DeMeco Ryans minutes after the Payton news broke.

Only one of last year’s top 10 longest-tenured HCs lost his job. A turbulent Colts year led to Reich being fired barely a year after he signed an extension. During a rather eventful stretch, Jim Irsay said he reluctantly extended Reich in 2021. The Colts passed on giving interim HC Jeff Saturday the full-time position, despite Irsay previously indicating he hoped the former center would transition to that role. Reich landed on his feet, and after losing Andrew Luck to a shocking retirement just before his second Colts season, the well-regarded play-caller now has another No. 1 pick (Bryce Young) to mentor.

After considering a Rams exit, Sean McVay recommitted to the team and is overseeing a reshaped roster. Andy Reid also sidestepped retirement rumors, staying on with the Chiefs after his second Super Bowl win. This will be Reid’s 25th season as an NFL head coach.

Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2023 season:

  1. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
  2. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
  3. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
  4. Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
  5. Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
  6. Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
  7. Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
  8. Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
  9. Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
  10. Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
  11. Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
  12. Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders): January 1, 2020
  13. Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
  14. Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
  15. Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
  16. Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
  17. Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
  18. Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
  19. Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
  20. Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
  21. Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
  22. Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
  23. Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
  24. Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
  25. Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
  26. Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
  27. Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
  28. Frank Reich (Carolina Panthers): January 26, 2023
  29. Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
  30. DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
  31. Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
  32. Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023