Philadelphia Eagles fire Doug Pederson, enter uncertain times

The Philadelphia Eagles have fired head coach Doug Pederson.

In Week 17, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson made the controversial decision to bench quarterback Jalen Hurts in favor of backup Nate Sudfeld late in a close game. That move ultimately played a role in him now being fired. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero first reported that Pederson had been let go as head coach a week after the final regular-season contest.

It’s a sad day for sure for a coach that had as much success as Pederson did in Philadelphia, including bringing the franchise their first Super Bowl championship at the end of the 2017 NFL season.

However, given the current state of affairs with the contract of quarterback Carson Wentz combined with how players were visibly miffed following Week 17, there was likely no choice for owner Jeffrey Lurie — especially considering there may have been other machinations at play behind the scenes.

With the salary cap slated to drop at the conclusion of the season, there is the likelihood that several players will be departing from the team, making the memory of Super Bowl LII grow dimmer by the year.

Doug Pederson’s dismissal raises more questions for the Philadelphia Eagles.

It wasn’t all bad in Philadelphia under Pederson. Even outside of the Super Bowl, Pederson brought a good culture with him, having learned from former Eagles coach Andy Reid. He gave the franchise instant credibility in his first year and followed it up with a Lombardi Trphy, leading to a statue of him and Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles being placed outside Lincoln Financial Field.

For Pederson moving forward, there is a good chance another team will hire him to their staff once again and give him an opportunity to coach in the league. What happens in Philadelphia remains to be seen, however, given the situation between Wentz and Jalen Hurts. The direction remains unclear. And now they have a head coaching search to complete.

Doug Pederson did a lot of good to Philadelphia. Like his book, he was fearless. Unfortunately, poor decisions and a lack of overall performance have led to him now being out of a job.