Jaguars’ Doug Pederson on Trevor Lawrence: ‘Not at Liberty To Speculate With Head Injuries’

The Jaguars' third-year quarterback is in the concussion protocol for the first time in his career.

A little over 12 hours after Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence entered the concussion protocol, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson was noncommital on his potential to play in Week 16 vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

"Not at liberty to speculate with head injuries, so I can't say one way or another," Pederson said on Monday. 

I think it was, obviously, the scramble play. I think it was the last one that he got hit on, potentially. It's hard to say. But, you know, continued to play, you know, the rest of the game and then he self-disclosed after the game to our docs and our trainers. 

Lawrence completed 25 passes on 43 attempts for 264 yards and one touchdown, along with two lost fumbles. His 65-yard touchdown completion to Jamal Agnew was the longest touchdown completion of his career. 

Lawrence scrambled three times on the Jaguars' final drive, with one scramble ending in a violent hit from Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith.

"Well I felt like, well even with the hit, because I thought it was more of his shoulder, you know, because of the way the hit looked," Pederson said. "And so it did affect him, you know, the next couple of throws, there just wasn't a lot on it. But as he played through it it got a little, it got better."

If Lawrence can't play on Sunday, then backup quarterback C.J. Beathard would get the start. Considering it would be one game removed from one of the offense's worst games of the season, that could prove to be the major storyline of Week 16.

"We had a fumble at the 20. We didn't score before the half. We missed two field goals. And I think a handful of pre-snap penalties," Pederson said. 

"To me, that's, you put 181 yards in the first-half on a really good defense. And you do some really good things, but then you do some dumb things. And to me that's the ball-game, or at least keeping us in the game."