PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Foles made his return to Philadelphia this season to say goodbye. His partner in bronze is back this weekend, only Doug Pederson isn’t interested in feel-good farewells or taking a teary stroll down memory lane.
Instead, Pederson is coaching for his job with the Jaguars.
Pederson returns for a game in Philadelphia for a second time since the only coach to win a Super Bowl with the Eagles was fired just three seasons after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, let go over a fractured relationship with the front office over decisions ranging from the rebuilding path to the draft to his relationships with star players.
Yes, the "2017 World Champions" banner flies at Lincoln Financial Field, but it’s outside the stadium where Pederson left a more free-standing mark on the franchise.
Foles and Pederson share a statue that includes Foles’ quote from the Super Bowl, “Want Philly Philly?” Pederson responded affirmatively, Foles caught a touchdown pass on fourth down, the Eagles beat the New England Patriots 41-33 and soon after, a 9-foot tall bronze statue that honored the trick play was donated by a beer company and remains a tourist attraction.
Well, for everyone but Pederson.
Pederson, with Jacksonville now 2-6 after consecutive 9-8 seasons, has yet to visit the statue commemorating the most famous play in team history.
“You want me to tailgate, too, and say hi to people,” Pederson said, laughing.
Pederson walked out to a standing ovation from Eagles fans in his first trip back in an October 2022 — yes, a Jaguars loss.
Beyond the Super Bowl and two other playoff appearances, Pederson's effect on the Eagles can still be felt today. He made himself available as a resource when Nick Sirianni was hired to replace him ahead of the 2021 season. Sirianni led the Eagles to the Super Bowl in his second season — they lost to Kansas City — but has routinely come under criticism for everything ranging from his off-putting fan interactions, his play calling, his pandering and his uneven relationship with Jalen Hurts.
He learned to take the hard parts of the job that come with coaching in Philadelphia in part because of his conversations 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 piece of advice was for Sirianni to simply put his head down and keep plowing forward.
“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 to be somebody there that’s been it. I did it for five years, and I was an assistant coach there for a long time and really just to, if you had any questions, to 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 time or a first-time head coach, I was going to do it.”
Sirianni's best rebuttal to his critics has been his record. The Eagles made the playoffs in all three of his seasons and they are riding a three-game winning streak.
The Jaguars are on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention again, even with Trevor Lawrence on a bit of an uptick in recent games. He has completed 72% of his passes over the last four weeks for 1,106 yards, with seven TD passes and three INTs.
Not bad.
But not good enough to lead the Jaguars into the playoffs — or earn him a statue with Pederson.
Banged-up receiving corps
The Jaguars will be without Christian Kirk for the rest of the season following his surgery to repair a broken collarbone, forcing second-year pro Parker Washington into the starting lineup against the Eagles. Jacksonville played stretches last week without fellow wideouts Brian Thomas Jr. (ribs) and Gabe Davis (shoulder), but they were able to practice this week.
“It’s definitely, definitely a void to fill as far as the production and the locker room presence,” Lawrence said.
Big-play problems
Jacksonville’s defense has been gouged by big plays, most of them through the air. The Jaguars have given up completions of 45, 51, 63, 65, 67 and 80 yards through eight games, a main reason why they rank 31st in the league in passing yards allowed and tied for last in TD passes surrendered (17). But Pederson won’t get more involved on that side of the ball.
“I leave it up to the experts over there,” he said. “I’m going to stay on the offense. When it comes to scheme and all that, that’s what they get paid to do and let them do their jobs.”
Kelly green
Back by popular demand, the Eagles will wear throwback Kelly green jerseys on Sunday. The Eagles wore the color as their primary uniform from 1985 to 1995, an era when the team won very little, but the aura of former coach Buddy Ryan, the late Reggie White, Randall Cunningham and others still looms large on the Philly sports scene.
The Eagles tried for years to bring back the color scheme as an alternate jersey, but it wasn’t until the NFL said ahead of the 2022 season that teams could wear two different helmets that the idea could become a reality.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Dan Gelston, The Associated Press
