Eagles Notes: Doug Pederson, Carson Wentz, Coaching Search

Doug Pederson

• After being fired Monday, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport says his sense is Eagles HC Doug Pederson was sick of being told what to do, potentially in relation to his coaching staff. 
• According to NJ.com’s Mike Kaye, if Pederson had promoted QB coach Press Taylor to offensive coordinator, he would have faced questions from both the locker room and ownership. 
• Taylor has been promoted twice, moving up from assistant QB coach and adding passing game coordinator to his title this past offseason. But Kaye notes there are coaches and players in the organization who think Taylor has let his personal relationship with QB Carson Wentz get in the way of critiquing him and he doesn’t coach him hard enough. 
• Kaye adds Taylor is seen as a promising offensive coach sometime in the future, both by Pederson and others like a former Eagles position coach: “I think (Taylor’s) mind for the game is tremendous. It’s hard to judge the guy on his cooking (of the offense) when he hasn’t bought the groceries.”
• However, Kaye writes the consensus among players was that Wentz had too many voices in his ear this year between Pederson, Taylor and senior offensive assistants Rich Scangarello and Marty Mornhinweg, with only Pederson being seen as qualified. Scangarello and Mornhinweg won’t be back and keeping Taylor as a part of the status quo wasn’t an option for Pederson. 
• Before Pederson was let go on Monday, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer continued his reporting on the staffing issues that were a point of friction. He noted Eagles GM Howie Roseman had been forced to help with a lot of other staffing hires given Pederson was lacking in that area. 
• Pederson’s staffing suggestions to owner Jeffrey Lurie included promoting Taylor to offensive coordinator, promoting passing game analyst Andrew Breiner to QB coach, retaining ST coordinator Dave Fipp and either promoting DL coach Matt Burke to defensive coordinator or bringing back former DB coach Cory Undlin. Lurie was underwhelmed and wanted external candidates with more credentials. (McLane)
• Pederson also threatened to quit last year when he was pressured into firing OC Mike Groh. (McLane)
• ESPN’s Sal Palantonio reported Pederson will take some time to figure out if he wants to coach in 2021. (Rich Cimini)

Carson Wentz

• According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Eagles’ decision to fire HC Doug Pederson makes it significantly more likely that QB Carson Wentz will be back with the team in 2021. 
• NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport said Wentz did not want to return to the Eagles if Pederson was still the head coach, did not see any point in continuing that relationship and did not think he would get better as a football player. 
• However, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie did not expressly commit to Wentz being on the team in 2021: “I don’t think any owner should decide that.” (Jimmy Kempski)

Coaching Search

• Heading into Week 17, Eagles HC Doug Pederson‘s job status was safe according to Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer. 
• Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said it was a tough decision to fire Pederson and he did not “deserve to be let go.” However, he thought it was best for the long-term outlook of the team: “It’s not based on whether somebody deserves to hold their job or deserve to get fired. …This is much more about the evaluation of the Eagles moving forward.” (Zach Berman)
• Lurie expressed confidence in GM Howie Roseman to turn things around, saying they made decisions the past few years with a short-term focus on trying to win another Super Bowl. (Jeff McLane)
• Added Lurie: “I have real confidence our football operations led by Howie (Roseman) can not only repeat the performance of 2016 to now but also create a dominant football team.” (Mike Garafolo)
• Lurie will lead the search along with Roseman and team president Don Smolenski. (McLane)
• He told reporters the team will interview assistant HC/RB coach Duce Staley for the position. (Mike Kaye)
• Chiefs QB coach Mike Kafka is someone the Eagles could consider for their vacancy. (Ian Rapoport)
• Lurie doesn’t think the Eagles’ salary cap or quarterback situation will be an issue for presumptive candidates, calling the cap a “one-year problem” and citing “two good assets” at quarterback along with the team’s past success: “I think it would be a very attractive job.” (McLane)