REPORT: Why the Jaguars Decided to Fire Doug Pederson

The Jacksonville Jaguars moved on from former head coach Doug Pederson. There were more than a few reasons why.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson talks with line judge Mark Steinkerchner (84) during the third quarter Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars held off the Titans 20-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars fired former head coach Doug Pederson after two unsuccessful seasons filled with losing. Jaguars owner Shad Khan was fair and patient with Pederson, giving him the entire season to figure things out, even though Khan could have fired Pederson much sooner.

Michael O'Hara of The Sporting News analyzed what led to the Jaguars' decision to end Pederson's tenure with the team.

"Pederson's struggles in Jacksonville began in 2023 when the team went 9-8 and missed the playoffs," O'Hara said. "A winning record and narrowly missing the playoffs doesn't typically put a coach on the hot seat; however, the Jaguars had one of the most epic late-season collapses in recent memory that season."

O'Hara noted that while this season was the final straw for Pederson, how the Jaguars ended last season and began this season was one of the many nails in the coffin for Pederson.

"Jacksonville started the season 8-3, highlighted by wins over the [Buffalo] Bills and [Houston] Texans," O'Hara said. "Following a signature divisional win over Houston in Week 12, Jacksonville dropped five of the final six games to close the season.

"Jacksonville's failure down the stretch in 2023 was perfectly encapsulated by their Week 18 loss. Heading into the final week of the season, the Jaguars simply needed to beat the 5-11 Titans to secure a spot in the playoffs. Instead, they surrendered 153 rushing yards to Derrick Henry and 28 points to a team that had only scored 28-plus points four times all season. Jacksonville fell to Tennessee, 28-20,  marking the end of a rather impressive series of blunders to miss the playoffs.

"Heading into the 2024 season, Jaguars owner Shad Khan made it abundantly clear that he had high expectations for the team. In a documentary released heading into the season, Khan said, "Make no mistake: this is the best team assembled by the Jacksonville Jaguars ever... Best players. Best coaches. But most importantly, let’s prove it by winning now." Unfortunately for Kahn, Pederson and company picked up right where they left off to begin their 2024 campaign. Through their first 12 games, the Jaguars record sat at just 2-10, and their playoff hopes were already lost.

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