Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson has been on the hot seat all season long, and now it appears to be at critical mass.
After starting out 8-3 last season, the Jaguars lost five out of their last six games, finishing 9-8 and missing the playoffs. This year has gone even worse, as the Jaguars are 2-8 going into Sunday’s Week 11 game against the first-place Detroit Lions.
Despite the struggles, Pederson says the team is still staying positive amid the disappointing season.
“That’s a tough thing in the sports world today, in general across all sporting events and sports teams, teams that go through slumps and defeats and things like that, sometimes it is hard. They feel defeated,” Pederson said, via Pro Football Talk.
“As a player I’ve been on teams where once it goes sour it continues to go that way and it’s like, ‘Let’s get ready for the offseason.’ But I’ll tell you what, you don’t see that with this team. And I think it’s a credit to the leadership of this group. They’re pulling the young guys along and you’re seeing better practices, better performances, studying the game plan, you’re seeing all that kind of stuff still today, which is a credit. Just a big-time credit to the guys in the locker room. You have to have that. In order to pull yourself out of this, you have to have that type of leadership and a close group, even when you’re not getting the results you want.”
Another issue has been the regression of 2021 first overall pick Trevor Lawrence. According to The Ringer, Lawrence is recording his worst completion percentage, lowest yards per attempt average, and lowest success rate while being blitzed since Pederson has been his head coach.
Since Pederson hasn’t developed Lawrence as many thought and the Jaguars are in a tailspin, it’s just a question of when owner Shad Khan moves on, and that could come after this weekend.
Related: Past comments from Jacksonville Jaguars owner seemingly put Doug Pederson on hot seat
NFL insider reveals ‘change is possibly coming’ to Jacksonville Jaguars after Week 11
NFL insider Josina Anderson reports Pederson could be out of a job if the Jaguars lose badly to the Lions this weekend.
“Heard from a couple people…the owner prefers to wait to make a decision after the season, but if they get blown out this weekend (vs. the Detroit #Lions) change is possibly coming,” a league source told Anderson.
#Jaguars owner Shad Khan is making recent headlines with docking his 315-foot megayacht downtown.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) November 15, 2024
Speaking of his team, a league source told me this, based on the chatter they’re hearing: “Heard from a couple people…the owner prefers to wait to make a decision after the… pic.twitter.com/3mtusQwrAE
Lawrence will be missing his second straight game with a shoulder sprain, so backup Mac Jones, a former first-round pick himself in the 2021 NFL Draft, will make the start.
Pederson was named head coach ahead of the 2022 season, leading the Jaguars to an AFC South title his first year and making it to the Divisional Round of the playoffs before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, it’s gone downhill since, with an overall record of 20-24.
The Jaguars are 14-point road underdogs to the Lions.
Related: 5 Jacksonville Jaguars coaching candidates to replace Doug Pederson