The Philadelphia Eagles decided to fly in another direction for the 2021 NFL season. The franchise parted ways with head coach Doug Pederson, announcing the decision on Monday.
The Eagles finished 2020 with a disappointing 4-11-1 record, but Pederson, who guided the organization to its first Super Bowl in 2017, was initially expected to keep his job. Still, things changed after he had several meetings with owner Jeffrey Lurie in recent weeks.
According to multiple reports, Lurie was unconvinced with Pederson’s vision for the future and plans to handle multiple problems that plagued the team in 2020. This included the offense struggles, coaching staff, salary-cap issues, and the status of quarterback Carson Wentz.
“My first allegiance is, what will be best for the Philadelphia Eagles and our fans for the next three, four, five years,” Lurie explained reporters during a virtual conference. “It’s not based on does someone deserve to hold their job or deserve to get fired; that’s a different bar.”
Doug Pederson departs Philly after coaching the team for five seasons. He compiled a 42-37-1 record in the regular season while making the playoffs three times. Besides the Super Bowl win, the Eagles won their division twice under Pederson while also making the NFC Divisional game in 2018.
Pederson isn’t expected to be without a job for too long, as he immediately becomes a favorite for several openings. This includes the Houston Texans’ head coaching vacancy as well as the job with New York Jets.
Eagles, on the other hand, are expected to target several prominent candidates, including Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley.
