Doug Pederson’s Loyalty To OC Press Taylor Contributed To Jaguars Exit

SI.com’s John Shipley writes that former Jaguars HC Doug Pederson‘s loyalty to OC Press Taylor seems to be one of the things that once again got him fired.

Pederson’s unwillingness to fire Taylor or make other staff changes contributed to the Eagles’ decision to let him go in 2020 after winning the Super Bowl just a few years prior. It made him available for Jacksonville in 2022 and Taylor joined his staff. 

In 2023, Pederson handed over full-time play-calling duties to Taylor and at that point Jacksonville’s offensive performance started to deteriorate. Shipley says, citing sources, Pederson just thought it was time to make the move. 

Shipley adds multiple sources thought the offense became an echo chamber between Pederson and Taylor, and there was a lack of new ideas and innovation which led to the offense stagnating. 

He notes sources saw even more red flags to start camp in 2024 when the offense looked as sloppy as it ever had despite it being the third straight year under Pederson and Taylor. 

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mentions Jaguars GM Trent Baalke was pushing hard for staff changes after 2023, including with Taylor, and goes on to say there was friction between the front office and the coaching staff for over a year. 

Taylor, 36, began his coaching career at Tulsa back in 2011 as the team’s QBs coach/graduate assistant. He spent two years in Tulsa before joining the Eagles as their offensive quality control coach in 2013.

Taylor worked his way up to offensive quality control & assistant quarterbacks coach before he was promoted to QBs coach in 2018. He had passing game coordinator added to his title in 2020. 

He then joined the coaching staff of Colts HC Frank Reich as an offensive assistant for the 2021 season when the Eagles fired HC Doug Pederson, only to reunite with Pederson a year later as the offensive coordinator of the Jaguars. 

In 2024, the Jaguars ranked No. 25 in total offense, including No. 24 in passing and No. 26 in rushing, and were No. 26 in points per game. 

Pederson, 56, began his NFL coaching career with the Eagles as a quality control coach in 2009. He worked his way up to QB coach before following Andy Reid to Kansas City and becoming the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator in 2013.

The Eagles hired Pederson as head coach in 2016. They later signed him to an extension through 2022 heading into the 2018 season, only to fire him after 2020. 

After a year off, the Jaguars hired Pederson as their head coach in 2022. He was fired after the 2024 season. 

Pederson led the Eagles to a record of 42-37-1 (53.1 percent) over the course of five seasons. This includes a Super Bowl championship in 2017. In Jacksonville, Pederson was 22-29 with one playoff appearance and a 1-1 record.