Jaguars fire head coach Doug Pederson after three seasons

Once the savior of Duval County, Doug Pederson is now the latest head coach to go by the wayside in northeast Florida.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have fired Pederson, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Monday, following a 4-13 season that fell seismically short of owner Shad Khan’s expectations.

Khan announced the news later Monday, adding that general manager Trent Baalke will be retained.

’’I had the difficult task this morning of informing Doug Pederson of my intention to hire a new head coach to lead the Jacksonville Jaguars,’’ Khan said. ’’Doug is an accomplished football man who will undoubtedly enjoy another chapter in his impressive NFL career, and I will be rooting for Doug and his wife Jeannie when that occasion arrives. As much as Doug and I both wish his experience here in Jacksonville would have ended better, I have an obligation first and foremost to serve the best interests of our team and especially our fans, who faithfully support our team and are overdue to be rewarded. In that spirit, the time to summon new leadership is now.

’’I strongly believe it is possible next season to restore the winning environment we had here not long ago. I will collaborate with General Manager Trent Baalke and others, within and close to our organization, to hire a leader who shares my ambition and is ready to seize the extraordinary opportunity we will offer in Jacksonville.’’

Though Pederson’s tenure lasted three full seasons, Sunday’s firing was a move anticipated for nearly two months.

The ousting of Pederson was expected by many to come after an embarrassing Week 11 loss to the Detroit Lions, with Rapoport reporting on Nov. 16 that a defeat back then could signal another regime change for the Jags. Jacksonville was obliterated by the Detroit Lions on on Nov. 17, 52-6, the 46-point margin of defeat standing as the most in club history.

By: Grant Gordon, Digital Content Editor