Was This the Most Difficult Season of HC Pederson's Career?

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson has been around the league for decades. Was this his most challenging season in the NFL?

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson looks on during the fourth 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

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson has spent decades in and around the National Football League as a player and a coach. He has spent the past few seasons in Jacksonville, most of which have been successful.

Pederson acknowledged how difficult the season has been for him. He believes it is the most challenging season he has been a part of,

“Yeah, and like I've told the team too, with 12 losses like this, I don't think anybody has gone through—I mean, you go all the way back to high school, middle school, have a season where you had 12 losses—and it's hard to," Pederson said.

"The hardest thing probably is just keeping the guys in it each week, mentally. It'd be easy for them to kind of check out. So, from that standpoint, it's hard. Obviously, the pandemic year in ‘20 was another difficult one with the challenges of COVID and the safeguards in place that we had to do, the social distancing, and all that, that made it difficult. But this one was tough. It was tough just to maintain the focus and the drive, and each week be competitive, and still give ourselves opportunities to win games. Then, on top of that, I think, nine of the 12 one-score losses is just something we've got to work on, and then we've got to focus and then push through that barrier. I think once you do, you learn how to win and then you'll be better. You'll be better for it.”

Pederson has spent seemingly the entire season on the hot seat after the Jaguars' abysmal start, which followed their dismal end to last season. The Jaguars lost five of their final six games last season and five of their first six games this season.

Still, Pederson said he has not spoken to the players about his job security, as he does not feel it would do any good for him or the players if he did so. Believe it or not, Pederson's approach makes sense in the long run.

“I don't talk to the team about it," Pederson said. "I don't want them to have to—I know they're going to get asked, and it's their right to answer the question, obviously. But I don't get into it with them. Our goal and our task is to win games. I've got to keep the focus on that.”

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