It took the Jacksonville Jaguars 49 days to replace Urban Meyer, who was fired as head coach on 16 December as a result of his behavior and the team's miserable performance.
The Jaguars hired former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson to be their seventh head coach in franchise history. ESPN's Adam Schefter broke the news last night around 10 PM ET.
In a statement made by Jaguars owner Shad Khan that was also shared on Twitter by the Jaguars' official Twitter account on Friday morning, Khan said he hoped Pederson could deliver a Super Bowl for Jacksonville like he did for the Eagles in 2018.
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“Doug Pederson four years ago won a Super Bowl as head coach of a franchise in pursuit of its first world championship,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a statement. “I hope Doug can replicate that magic here in Jacksonville, but what is certain is his proven leadership and experience as a winning head coach in the National Football League. It’s exactly what our players deserve. Nothing less."
Khan ended his statement by saying how proud he is to name Pederson as Jaguars head coach and that he and his family will be welcomed with open arms to Jacksonville.
“Combine this with his acumen on the offensive side of the ball, and you have why I am proud to name Doug Pederson the new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. I know our fans will warmly welcome Doug and his family to Duval and I personally look forward to having Doug as part of everything we envision for the team, downtown and community in the years ahead.”
Jacksonville began their head coaching search with the guy they ended it with. Pederson was the first candidate to be interviewed by the Jaguars on Dec. 26.
What Doug Pederson brings to the table
Doug Pederson began his head coaching career in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016. Pederson coached for five seasons with a 46-39-1 record, including the playoffs. Pederson led the Eagles to a 13-3 regular-season record in 2017, before guiding them to the Super Bowl, where they stunned the New England Patriots.
Pederson brings the leadership, the offensive-minded gameplan, and the winning experience that the Jaguars need at head coach. Trevor Lawrence even acknowledged and welcomed Pederson in a Tweet last night.
Jaguars' history of coaches
Pederson will become the seventh full-time head coach and ninth overall in the franchise’s history. Of the nine coaches, Jacksonville has only had one winning-coach in franchise history (Tom Coughlin from 1995-2002 who held a record of 68-60).
The Jaguars have only had one winning season since 2007, with just one appearance in the playoffs during that time. Pederson's experience and Super-Bowl winning mentality could spark something new for Jacksonville.
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