Benching players and firing coaches are becoming a big theme this NFL season. This time, the spotlight’s on Jacksonville Jaguars‘ head coach Doug Pederson. After two tough seasons in 2023 and 2024, rumors began that the Jaguars might want to part ways with Pederson. Hired in 2022, Pederson has faced criticism due to his team’s inability to win games consistently. Well, the stats don’t lie. The Jaguars have had a rough season, sitting at the bottom of the AFC South with a 2-9 record. So, what could happen next?

After the recent loss to the Lions (52-6), rumors started swirling that Shad Khan was meeting with the head coach to discuss his future with the team. An inside source reported that the team might fire the head coach after the bye week. While, Pederson shot down the rumors, stating that he had no meetings scheduled with the team’s owner. Regarding the possibility of getting fired, Pederson just brushed it off and said, “If it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen.” That’s wild!

Doug Pederson has continuously found himself in hot water this season. The team has suffered such terrible losses that the head coach has now run out of explanations. He stated in a recent media conference that he’s working on figuring out the necessary changes for the team. He took full responsibility for the Jaguars’ struggles this season, saying that if anyone needs to point fingers, it should be at him and not at anyone else.

When the season was about to kick off, Shad Khan had full confidence in his guys. He was so sure of his team that he didn’t hesitate to say this was the best squad the Jaguars have ever had. “This is the best team assembled by the Jacksonville Jaguars ever”, commented Khan. Little did he know that his expectations would be crushed pretty badly.

They crashed from the very 1st game of the season. They managed to give a fair fight against the Browns, but the Buffalo Bills just ran over them (47-10). The Jaguars managed to conquer the Colts and Patriots, but the rest games were disappointing. And now, the Lions crushed them 52-6. So, is it fair to blame the HC for this fiasco? A different tale lies in his past.

Is Doug Pederson a bad coach? Stats state something else

Though many fans are calling for Doug Pederson’s firing, owner Shad Khan hasn’t made any official statements. Some reports suggested that Khan might explore other coaching options after the season ends. But with a loss this bad, he might have to make a decision sooner rather than later. There is a high possibility that the HC might have to say goodbye to his job.

Throughout his coaching career, Pederson has coached several NFL teams, including the Chiefs and Eagles. He had a very successful tenure with the Eagles. In 2017, under his mentorship, the Eagles won their NFC East divisional championship, defeating the Vikings 38-7. And right after that, they tamed the Patriots 41-33 to win the Super Bowl LII, the first in their history. This shows that Pederson isn’t a bad coach. He didn’t just stumble into being an NFL head coach.

His time with the Eagles shows he knows how to lead a team to victory. Looks like Pederson has just been caught in a streak of bad luck during his time with the Jaguars. Otherwise, maybe the Jaguars are missing their luster too. Whatever it is, they need to figure it out. Looks like the current season is over for them. But for the next one, it’ll be interesting to see whether they come back with Doug Pederson or not. Only time will tell.