“He’s [Andy Reid] the best in these moments [of doubt]. You hear [the narrative] the Chiefs are done, their run is over, Pat Mahomes is not the same, Kelce’s not the same, coach Reid’s not the same, I just have to chuckle,” Pederson said on Pardon My Take.

Pederson cautioned that this is a trend for the Chiefs, and it is highly likely that Reid knows how to navigate the situation, especially since the season is only reaching Week 6 and there is still plenty of regular-season football to be played.

“If you look back at the history, Andy’s teams always kind of start slow but finish extremely fast & very powerful,” Pederson stated. “By no means are they there yet, we’re only 5 weeks in. I just sit back & think I just wish they knew who Andy Reid is as a coach & I think they’d have a better picture.”

Pederson wasn’t the only one to discuss Reid

The topic of Andy Reid also came up on The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN on October 10th, featuring veteran college football coach Nick Saban. As a highly knowledgeable observer of the NFL, Saban discussed how coaches like Reid and Nick Sirianni are dealing with the challenge of maintaining their teams’ success.

Just as Pederson noted, the Chiefs still have a chance to turn things around. While time is always limited in an NFL season, the remaining schedule for Kansas City doesn’t look overwhelming, though the games against the Lions and Bills are likely to be the toughest obstacles as the team tries to recover its winning record.

The departure of the coach, who was a Super Bowl champion with the Eagles, may have been an expected outcome. His team struggled throughout the season, finishing with a negative record of four wins and three losses, barely ahead of the Titans in the AFC South.

In a recent interview with Kay Adams on “Up & Adams” show, the former Clemson quarterback stated that he wasn’t surprised by Pederson’s firing, as, in the end, it’s the results that ultimately matter.

“I don’t know about surprised just cause this is a results business… but we still touched base afterwards and we’re gonna stay in touch,” Trevor Lawrence firmly stated.

Following Pederson’s departure from the Jaguars’ head coach role, Liam Coen will take over starting this season. Coen comes off a stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by Baker Mayfield.

Lawrence shared his opinion on Brian Thomas Jr.’s level of play

Despite the poor results from the Jaguars‘ last campaign, one of the most positive points was definitely the emergence of Thomas Jr. in the NFL. The outstanding wide receiver, former LSU player, was a pleasant surprise for the team, which led Lawrence to highlight his talent.

“He’s SO fast but it doesn’t look like he’s running hard. He’s one of the SMOOTHEST guys I’ve ever seen,” Trevor Lawrence stated con “Up & Adams” show.

Throughout his first season, the WR accumulated 87 receptions, 1,282 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. Additionally, he was named to the Pro Bowl in what was his rookie season. Thomas Jr.’s career definitely seems to have no ceiling.

Aside from Lawrence’s absence in final games, the Jaguars’ performance in the current campaign has been far from what was expected at the beginning. Pederson was unable to right the course of a team that was dealing with unfortunate situations until a loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season, when Jacksonville decided to end his tenure as head coach.

It was a three-season cycle with Pederson at the helm, who only in 2022 was able to lead the Jaguars to the postseason, when they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round. In the last two seasons, Jacksonville recorded 13 wins and 21 losses overall. Lawrence, who was an important player throughout Pederson’s tenure, talked about the firing of the 56-year-old head coach.

Trevor Lawrence broke silence after Doug Pederson’s firing

“It’s on us as well, so I think you see it and it’s unfortunate, I guess is the best way to put it, just because you feel like you wish you could have done more, and you wish you would have won more games. I think it’s a weird feeling, but you do understand it’s part of the business and you just have to continue to get better and for whatever reason this year we didn’t do that,” Lawrence explained about Pederson’s firing at a press conference.

“I think it’s difficult to look at where we’re at now at the end of this season and take it for what it is. It was just such a rough year and tough in every regard, injuries not winning games. That’s just tough on a team, so I think as a player, you look at it and you understand that’s part of the business. But you’re also disappointed,” Lawrence said, breaking his silence on the Jaguars’ season.

Lawrence told what kind of head coach he would like to see on the Jaguars

“I think as far as a leader, I want the right guy to be the right leader and voice for the team and establish that culture and be a strong team, mentally and physically, that can handle the ups and downs of this season,” Lawrence said, sharing his preferences on the type of coach he would like to see behind the Jacksonville bench.

Jaguars’ candidates to replace Pederson

Jacksonville has released a list of candidates for their head coaching vacancy. In addition to Robert Saleh, former HC of the New York Jets, there is interest in offensive coordinators Kellen Moore (Philadelphia Eagles), Todd Monken (Baltimore Ravens), Joe Brady (Buffalo Bills), Liam Coen (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Ben Johnson (Detroit Lions) and Patrick Graham (Las Vegas Raiders). The Jaguars have also shown interest in Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

Multiple members of the organization have already drawn interest from other franchises, especially those working on the coaching staff. For instance, the Las Vegas Raiders are targeting a key assistant for Reid as they requested an interview with Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Another NFL team interested in Spagnuolo for their head coaching opening are the New York Jets, who also requested to interview the 65-year-old on Wednesday. But that’s not it.

The Chiefs could lose even more key leaders to the Jets, with the New York franchise interviewing offensive coordinator Matt Nagy for the head coaching gig as well as assistant GM Mike Borgonzi for their GM role.

While losing Nagy would leave a huge hole on offense, it could also present Reid and Kansas City an interesting opportunity to reunite with a familiar face. Doug Pederson, who served as offensive coordinator for the Chiefs from 2013 and 2015 before winning a Super Bowl as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, is now a free agent after being fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Matt Nagy getting HC opportunities could force Reid, Chiefs to search new OC

Pederson’s last two jobs were as head coach, including a successful stint in the City of the Brotherly Love that resulted in a memorable Super Bowl LII victory. But what if he’s open to working as offensive coordinator again?

That position will be requested in the offseason, with plenty of assistants expected to become head coaches. If Nagy is one of them, the Chiefs and Pederson would be a match made in heaven.

Familiar faces reuniting in Kansas City?

Pederson and Reid go a long way back, with the former knowing the latter from his playing days. Reid was an assistant coach on the Green Bay Packers when Pederson joined the franchise as a quarterback in 1995, and they went together to Philly when the Eagles hired Reid as head coach in 1999.

Their paths eventually crossed again, with Pederson joining Reid’s staff in 2009 as offensive quality control coach. Two years later, he was promoted to quarterbacks coach, a post he kept for two seasons before following Reid to Kansas City.

With Nagy expected to get more offers after his interview with the Jets, the Chiefs may have to look for a new offensive coordinator in 2025. In that case, Pederson could be a great fit due to his connection with Reid, in addition to his Super Bowl experience.

As expected, the higher-ups, with Shad Khan at the helm, informed the former Eagles coach that he had been fired and would not be part of the project for the upcoming season with the Jaguars. The hope of seeing Trevor Lawrence as a champion, at least alongside Pederson, will not come to fruition in the short term.

The news was confirmed by NFL insider Adam Schefter via his X (formerly Twitter) account @AdamSchefter. The Jaguars join the Jets, Patriots, Saints, and Bears as teams currently without head coaches.

“Jacksonville Jaguars fired Doug Pederson as their head coach, per source. Pederson’s tenure in Jacksonville ends after three season and a 22-29 record, including 18 losses in the last 23 games,” Schefter stated.

With his departure, Doug Pederson ends a three-year stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where in his first season, he led the team to the playoffs, falling to the Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Game.

Shad Khan’s words following Pederson’s firing

Khan is the head of the Jaguars and was the one who ultimately made the decision to inform Pederson of his departure from the team. After the confirmation, in comments published by reporter Adam Schefter on his X account, the team owner explained the reasons behind the decision.

“I had the difficult task this morning of informing Doug Pederson of my intention to hire a new head coach to lead the Jacksonville Jaguars. Doug is an accomplished football man who will undoubtedly enjoy another chapter in his impressive NFL career, and I will be rooting for Doug and his wife Jeannie when that occasion arrives. As much as Doug and I both wish his experience here in Jacksonville would have ended better, I have an obligation first and foremost to serve the best interests of our team and especially our fans, who faithfully support our team and are overdue to be rewarded. In that spirit, the time to summon new leadership is now.

“I strongly believe it is possible next season to restore the winning environment we had here not long ago. I will collaborate with General Manager Trent Baalke and others, within and close to our organization, to hire a leader who shares my ambition and is ready to seize the extraordinary opportunity we will offer in Jacksonville.”

In early December 2024, Pederson had already said that the Jaguars’ season was disappointing and not what he and his players expected, in what was a major admission about the current state of the Jacksonville in the NFL. However, the 56-year-old head coach this time chose to go deeper in his statements.

A 4-12 record plagued by poor results and mediocre performances is not something that comes close to being outstanding. Serious injuries suffered by Jaguars players throughout the season, such as the concussion of quarterback Lawrence, add to the list of unfortunate situations. In short, this combination led to Pederson’s in-depth analysis of the conditions for working on a team.

Pederson’s surprising statement on the future of his HC career

As indicated by NFL insider Michael DiRocco on ESPN, Pederson said that the 2024 season was the most difficult he has had in his coaching career and also acknowledged that it could be his last. The shocking admission from the Super Bowl LII winner means that the game between the Jaguars and the Indianapolis Colts could be the last time he will be seen leading the Jags.

According to DiRocco, Pederson gave a retrospective analysis of his career, anticipating a possible scenario outside of the Jaguars in his future. “If this is the last one, then I can look back and go, ‘Hey, it was a great run. You had a chance to do a lot of great things. You had a chance to win a Super Bowl. You’ve coached some great players. You played in this league for a long time’.

Jaguars’ forgettable season

It’s time for Jacksonville to turn the page after a poor season. Over the course of the season, the Jaguars suffered nine one-touchdown losses and did not beat a team with a winning record. They scored fewer than 18 points eight times and ranked last in the NFL in pass defense. Pederson’s attitude is understandable after a demoralizing ride.

This is Pederson’s third season at the helm of the Jaguars, a campaign that will conclude when Jacksonville visits Indianapolis on Sunday afternoon in Week 18 at Lucas Oil Stadium. After the game, it will be interesting to see what happens with the 56-year-old head coach’s future.

As the season nears its end, with no chances of securing the coveted playoff spot, the experienced coach was asked by the press about his thoughts on the current record. Without holding back, he was blunt in his response.

His feelings not only reflect his personal opinion but also that of the entire franchise in Jacksonville: “Obviously, disappointing. It’s not what I expected, it’s not what the players expected, the team,” said Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson.

“A lot of high expectations obviously coming out of preseason, where we were as a team. It’s not where we wanted to be. Not saying we were going to—you’d love to be the number-one team in the AFC right now, but who knows? You could’ve been. You could’ve been in the top seven.

“You could’ve been in the top 10, top three, whatever. But it’s just disappointing for me personally, for the team, I know the players feel the same way. We’ve just got to take it all in stride and finish this season strong,” Pederson finally concluded.

What does Trevor Lawrence think of the situation?

Trevor Lawrence is the franchise player for the Jaguars, having recently signed one of the most lucrative contracts in NFL history. However, injuries played a significant role this season, preventing him from showcasing his full potential.

Mac Jones stepped in for the former Clemson star when Lawrence was unable to play, but the results continued to be unfavorable. On this situation, Pederson shared his thoughts regarding what Lawrence would think about this.

“I would say probably the same. I think it’s the same as where I am as a coach, where the team is right now. I think he would feel the same way. I don’t want to speak for Trevor, but just disappointing and just something we’ve got to learn from moving forward.”

The final stretch for the Jaguars

After their matchup against the Tennessee Titans in Week 14, Doug Pederson’s team will face the final four games of the season, aiming to finish it as strongly as possible.

Next Sunday, December 15, they will host Aaron Rodgers and the Jets at their stadium, while the following week, they will travel to Las Vegas to face the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.

The penultimate week will be at home, on Sunday, December 29, once again against the Titans, while they will close out their season on the road, on January 5, in Indianapolis against the Colts.

Week 13 marked the return of the Jaguars to the field after their Bye Week, along with the much-anticipated presence of Trevor Lawrence following his shoulder injury. However, to the concern of both fans and outsiders, the QB had to leave the stadium after taking a massive hit from Texans’ Al-Shaair.

Once the game ended, where Jacksonville ultimately lost to the Texans 23-20, it was head coach Doug Pederson who spoke with the press and made his feelings clear regarding the specific play involving Lawrence.

“Well, look, it’s a play that nobody wants to see in our league obviously because you see what happens after the fact and it just escalates,” the Jaguars head coach said after the game.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Coach Ryans [Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans]. I know he doesn’t coach his team that way. We don’t coach our team that way. It’s unfortunate, it really is. It’s unfortunate. I’m just glad that Trevor’s going to be fine. He’ll obviously be in the protocol, but it just is an unfortunate play,” Pederson concluded.

Trevor Lawrence reassured everyone after his exit

Undoubtedly, situations like these, where players take heavy hits, raise concerns about their health. Lawrence, the player affected in this game, reassured his followers with a social media post.

“Thank you to everyone who has reached out / been praying for me. I’m home and feeling better. Means a lot, thank you all,” the QB stated via his X account (Formerly Twitter) @Trevorlawrencee.

Although it is all very recent and the necessary tests are expected to be conducted, some around the player have claimed that his season is likely over in order to recover in the best possible way.

A new loss for the Jaguars

Although the play involving Trevor Lawrence grabbed all the attention this weekend, it cannot be overlooked that the Jaguars suffered another defeat, this time against a divisional rival like the Texans.

With a final score of 23-20, Pederson’s team moved their record to 10 losses and just 2 wins so far this season. With only a handful of games remaining, the franchise led by Shahid Khan is already looking ahead, with a high pick in the upcoming draft and long-term renovations planned for their roster.

It is still unclear what the future holds for coach Pederson. Some time ago, the management confirmed his leadership and trusted his process, but the presence of the former Super Bowl champion with the Eagles at the helm of the first team remains uncertain.

Jacksonville Jaguars’ upcoming games

• vs Tennessee Titans, December 8th
• vs New York Jets, December 15th
• vs Las Vegas Raiders, December 22nd
• vs Tennessee Titans, December 29th
• vs Indianapolis Colts, January 5th

The player in question is none other than left tackle Walker Little, who has reached an agreement with the franchise to remain in Jacksonville for three more years, in exchange for a substantial $45 million.

The news was confirmed by journalist Ian Rapoport via his X (formerly Twitter) account @RapSheet: “Source: The #Jaguars and LT Walker Little have agreed to terms on a 3-year, $45M deal for him to stay in Jacksonville. He gets $26M guaranteed.”

With Little staying on the Jaguars for three more years, the franchise’s front office is already planning for the future, as the current season has not gone as expected. A strong draft pick next year and some key reinforcements are now the main objectives for the Jags.

Little, 25, was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft and is currently in the final year of his rookie contract with the Jaguars. He took over as Jacksonville’s starting left tackle in October after Cam Robinson was traded to the Minnesota Vikings.

Jacksonville secures a new long-term contract

The three-year contract agreement with Walker Little is not the first of its kind in recent months for Jacksonville. This deal for the left tackle is part of a broader strategy to restructure the franchise, with the aim of making a significant leap in quality in the coming years.

Trevor Lawrence, perhaps the most high-profile case given his pivotal role on the team, signed a contract extension worth five years and $275 million, making him one of the highest-paid players in NFL history.

These are a few other players who have sealed their deals with the Jaguars and will remain with the franchise for several more years:

• Gabe Davis, WR (3 years, $39 million)
• Tyson Campbell, CB (4 years, $76.5 million)
• Josh Hines-Allen, DE (5 years, $141.25 million)
• Arik Armstead, DL (3 years, $43.5 million)

The former Clemson player missed his team’s last two games due to a shoulder injury, which seems to have no lingering effects on Lawrence. The Jaguars will host the Houston Texans in a key divisional matchup, and the head coach spoke out regarding the QB’s status.

After the Bye Week this past weekend, the team had time to recover, as did their franchise player. Upon returning to practice, the coach saw Lawrence in good shape and remains confident about his presence on Sunday.

That’s how NFL insider Ian Rapoport expressed it through his X (formerly Twitter) account @RapSheet: “Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told reporters that QB Trevor Lawrence, dealing with a significant AC joint sprain ‘had a good week.’ ‘I would say as of right now, yes, he will play.‘“

During the absence of the Jaguars’ starting quarterback on their roster, none other than former Patriots player Mac Jones took the reins of the team, but he faced serious difficulties in leading the team to victory.

Lawrence knows the difficulty of facing the Texans

Lawrence’s presence has not yet been confirmed, although it is believed that he will return after missing his team’s last two games. On the horizon are the Houston Texans led by CJ Stroud, a team they already faced earlier this season. The QB spoke with the press and knows the kind of opponent they will be up against.

“Their defense has been playing great,” Lawrence said. “Obviously, the two guys on the edge, those guys have been big players for them. Obviously, we’ve played against Will [Texans DE Will Anderson Jr.] a few times, just him being there the last couple of years. And then Danielle [Texans DE Danielle Hunter] on the other side, he’s having a great year. He’s been a great player for a long time. So those guys, they make everything go. Not to take anything away from the other guys, they’ve got a good defense.”

“But they just fly around. They’re well-coached. It’s not the most complicated scheme, but it helps them play fast and be on the same page and really anticipate and react and kind of play ahead of some offense as you see on tape. They just play really fast. I think that helps them,” he also added.

The future of the Jaguars this season

The Jaguars’ disappointing season has led many to start thinking about the future of the franchise. However, Trevor Lawrence still believes that the remaining games are crucial for the team, and he expressed this to the press.

“We got to regroup and kind of reflect a little bit over the bye week. We’ve got six weeks. That’s what we’re guaranteed. Beyond that, who knows what can happen. You see some crazy things. So, we don’t feel like we’re necessarily out of anything. It’s definitely a challenge. It’s an uphill battle, but that’s what we’ve got in front of us. It’s a situation we put ourselves in. Four division games, that also adds a wrinkle to a lot can happen at the end of the season. We just have to take it one week at a time though, and this is a big one,” Lawrence stated.

He finally concluded: “We just want to go play our best football on Sunday and find a way to win, and then we’ll move on after that. But 100 percent, four out of six division games. That’s really big for our team. Regardless of how this thing shapes up in the end, we’ve got six games of football left. So, it doesn’t really matter what the big picture is. You want to go out there and play your best and really play better than we have in the past, however many games.”

The former Clemson player was absent the last two games from the starting lineup due to a left shoulder injury that had been bothering him. As a result, the head coach opted for Mac Jones to take his place. After the Bye Week, Lawrence returned to practice, and if all goes as expected, he should be able to return to the starting role on Sunday.

“It’s encouraging,” Pederson said. “We’ll get through today obviously. I’m not going to commit, but it was a good start to the week. We’ll see how he handles much more of a workload today.”

Next Sunday, the Jaguars will host the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium in a crucial divisional matchup for both franchises. If Lawrence doesn’t recover fully, former Patriots QB Mac Jones will once again take the field as the starter.

Jacksonville currently holds a poor record of 2 wins and 9 losses, making them one of the worst teams of the season. If they don’t secure more wins for the rest of the year, the strong focus will undoubtedly be on securing a high pick in next year’s draft.

Could Trevor Lawrence undergo surgery?

Trevor Lawrence missed the last two games for his team and was able to take advantage of a bye week to further recover his left shoulder. However, his recovery is not 100% guaranteed, nor is his availability. Could he end up needing surgery if he doesn’t fully recover?

“Hopefully I’m able to get back out there this week or as soon as possible and then it’s going to be just every week kind of evaluating it, seeing where it’s at,” Lawrence said, via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. “Obviously up until this point I’ve been doing everything I can to avoid that and want to be back out there with my guys and finish the season. So that’s my goal.”

Pederson used the bye week to prepare for what’s to come

The Jaguars’ poor performance welcomed this bye week before returning to competition with open arms. Doug Pederson, in his traditional press conference, made it clear what lies ahead for his team.

“We took a dive into that schematically just to see where we were and see what we’re doing and see what we do well. There are some things that, I’m not going to get into the whole details of things, but there are things in the run game that we’ve got to get back to,” the HC stated.

He finally added: “Even in the passing game, tweaking some things there and some things that we can hopefully help our production in the next six weeks, and then ultimately just have some time away. As I said last week, we needed some rest and get refreshed and see where these next six weeks go.”