Nick Foles returned to Philadelphia this season to say goodbye. This weekend, his partner in bronze, Doug Pederson, is back too, but he’s not focused on emotional goodbyes or reminiscing about the past.
Instead, Pederson is coaching for his job with the Jaguars.
This is Pederson’s second time coaching in Philadelphia since he was the only coach to win a Super Bowl with the Eagles. He was let go just three seasons after that victory due to a damaged relationship with the front office.
Issues included disagreements about the team’s rebuilding plans, the draft, and his interactions with star players.
While the “2017 World Champions” banner is still displayed at Lincoln Financial Field, Pederson left a lasting legacy outside the stadium.
Foles and Pederson have a statue together that features Foles’ famous quote from the Super Bowl: “Want Philly Philly?”
Pederson said yes, Foles caught a touchdown on fourth down, the Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33, and a beer company later donated a 9-foot tall bronze statue to honor that trick play. It remains a popular tourist spot.
However, this doesn’t include Pederson. Now, with Jacksonville sitting at 2-6 after two consecutive 9-8 seasons, Pederson hasn’t even seen the statue that honors the most famous play in the team’s history.
“You want me to tailgate, too, and say hi to people,” Pederson joked.
When he first returned in October 2022, he received a standing ovation from Eagles fans, even though the Jaguars lost that game.
Beyond the Super Bowl and two other playoff appearances, Pederson’s influence on the Eagles is still noticeable today. He offered support to Nick Sirianni when he was hired to replace him before the 2021 season.
Sirianni led the Eagles to the Super Bowl in his second season, but they lost to Kansas City. He has faced criticism for various issues, including his interactions with fans, play calling, and his relationship with Jalen Hurts.
He learned how to handle the tough parts of coaching in Philadelphia partly from talking with Pederson. “I just felt like he was helpful to me with people on the roster and how the building is and just everything,” said Sirianni, whose Eagles are 5-3.
“I think that’s what’s cool about the coaching fraternity: We all got here because of other coaches and the time that they put into us to help us get better. We need to pay that forward. I always admired Doug for that. And I’ll try to do the same.”
Pederson said his best advice for Sirianni was to keep his head down and keep working hard.
“I went over the media with him,” he said, laughing. “It’s a tough business, and I can appreciate a new head coach going in there and what to expect — just to be a resource for someone who has been through it. I did it for five years, and I was an assistant coach there for a long time.
If you had any questions, just ask me. It’s just a respect thing. It’s hard enough to be a head coach in this league, and any advice I could give a new or first-time head coach, I was going to do it.”
Sirianni’s best answer to his critics has been his record. The Eagles have made the playoffs in all three of his seasons, and they are currently on a three-game winning streak.
The Jaguars, on the other hand, are close to being out of playoff contention again, even though Trevor Lawrence has been playing better in recent games. He has completed 72% of his passes over the last four weeks for 1,106 yards, with seven touchdown passes and three interceptions.
Not bad. But not enough to get the Jaguars into the playoffs—or earn him a statue with Pederson.
