When Shad Khan declared, “This is the best team assembled by the Jacksonville Jaguars ever,” it felt like the start of an underdog sports movie, didn’t it? You know, the kind where a scrappy team defies the odds, led by a coach delivering halftime speeches worthy of an Oscar. Instead, this season played out like a dark comedy, with Jacksonville limping to a 4-13 finish under Doug Pederson.

Not exactly the feel-good ending Khan envisioned. So, he decided to pull the plug on Pederson. The man who once hoisted a Lombardi Trophy found himself in a much less celebratory moment. The Jaguars’ endgame overtime loss to the Colts was the proverbial final straw.

The thing is, Pederson’s fate was all but sealed, and when the dust settled, the hammer officially dropped. The question now isn’t just about the coaching carousel—it’s about the financial fallout. How much does Khan owe the man he just fired? Spoiler: It’s not pocket change.

Pederson’s fully guaranteed deal pulls in a hefty $8.5 million annually, landing him comfortably among the NFL’s top 10 highest-paid coaches. With a year still left on his contract, Jacksonville’s owner, Shad Khan, will be writing some serious checks.

Pederson signed the multi-year deal back in 2022, and now that he’s been shown the door after the 2024 season, the Jaguars owe him the remainder (one year). But hey, they can’t complain… Sure, it’s always an added payout with the rebuild and turnover in mind ahead of the new season.

However, firing a Super Bowl-winning coach (he lifted it during his Philly days) comes with its cons. It’s not exactly a budget-friendly move. Plus, they wouldn’t mind because, after all, Doug Pederson wasn’t a headache for the Jags.

Doug Pederson: An important chapter in Jacksonville’s playbook

No one’s pretending the Jaguars’ 2024 season was anything but a mess. A 4-13 record is the NFL equivalent of fumbling at the goal line. That’s why Doug Pederson is out. But before we slam the book shut on his tenure, let’s not ignore the bright side. I mean, if not now, then when we’d be able to talk about it?

Sure, the ending wasn’t pretty, but Pederson’s time in Jacksonville wasn’t all bad. He walked into Jacksonville in 2022, inheriting a franchise still bruised and battered from Urban Meyer’s catastrophic tenure. Imagine trying to rebuild trust in a locker room that had just been through the NFL’s version of a soap opera.

Pederson didn’t just steady the ship—he gave it purpose. With the front office shelling out $86 million in annual contracts to names like Christian Kirk and Evan Engram, the Jaguars turned heads. And let’s not forget that incredible playoff run in 2022, capped by a jaw-dropping 27-point comeback against the Chargers.

Trevor Lawrence also owes a lot to Pederson. Under his watch, Lawrence transformed from a rookie mess to a legitimate QB1. His stats? Career bests across the board in 2022. Pederson took a flailing team and made them a contender, however brief that window might’ve been.

But by 2023, cracks started to show. Pederson made some baffling calls, like handing play-calling duties to Press Taylor, whose inexperience showed. Lawrence’s growth hit a wall, and the run game sputtered. The Jaguars stumbled to another 9-8 finish, but it felt more like a regression.

By 2024, the wheels had come off. Lawrence struggled, the offense faltered, and the Jaguars looked lost. Even Pederson’s reassurance that he had Khan’s trust wasn’t enough to save him. Now, Jacksonville looks ahead to its sixth coach since 2012. Pederson’s chapter was short and bittersweet. But it reminded fans that the right coach can make even the bleakest seasons worth watching.