On Tuesday, Doug Pederson was officially announced as the next head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Eagles’ owner Jeffrey Lurie and VP of personnel Howie Roseman seem to have found someone whom they are both familiar and comfortable with to stabilize a locker room that seems to have been left in flux after the departure of Chip Kelly.
Pederson was recommended to Lurie and Roseman by long time head coach, and very close friend, Andy Reid, the current head coach in Kansas City. Pederson is supported by players and coaches from all over the league as well, including former Eagle Jeremy Maclin, who worked under Pederson when he was the offensive coordinator in Kansas City.
The consensus opinion on whether or not Pederson can unite this locker room seems to be that he surely can. However, there does not seem to be a consensus on whether or not Pederson is the man for the job when considering more than just locker room harmony. Total Sports Live offers their opinions on the Pederson hiring keeping the future of the team in mind.
Jovan Alford Founder, Editor, & Writer | Totalsportslive.com
When the news broke on Thursday evening about the Eagles hiring Doug Pederson, I was not surprised at all. Pederson was not my first, second, or third choice for head coach. But with that said, I think he needs a solid offensive and defensive coordinator to help him as a first time head coach. I’m not willing to throw him under the bus yet as the Eagles play in the wacky NFC East, where any team can win the division. I expect Pederson’s offense to involve the tight end a lot and pounding the ball with the running backs. It’s definitely going to be a change of pace in Philadelphia, which may end up being good.
Matt Brown Editor & Writer | Totalsportslive.com
My biggest takeaway from the Pederson hire does not have much to do with Pederson himself, but rather the timeline of the entire selection process. The process as a whole seemed very rushed. It was announced that the Eagles would resume with the hiring process after the owners’ meeting, and then it seemed as though Pederson was chosen in a blink. I’m hoping that Lurie and the hiring staff did not simply settle, but rather felt as though they searched through every reasonable candidate, and made the right decision. Nonetheless, I’m anxious and excited to see what he brings, especially coming from working under the Eagles all-time great head coach, Andy Reid.
Curt Jenkins Writer | Totalsportslive.com
Personal opinion coincides with cautious optimism on the hiring of Doug Pederson. I’m optimistic at the fact that as a fan, I never like to down-talk a decision made by the Eagles front office. Pederson ultimately won the job because he was an organizational “yes” man. He knows the team, fan base, and the front office. Instead of having a strong backbone, and going against anything Lurie or Roseman say, Pederson will be more a pawn in their rebuild of the team. He will do what they want, how they want it, and when they want it. Yes, he spent time under Andy Reid in Kansas City as offensive coordinator, but how much of that was Reid and less of Pederson? When it’s all said and done, I hope it works out. Back in 99′, Reid was just another coordinator from Green Bay and now he is one of the well respected coaches in league history.
Jalil Phillips Writer & Contributor | Totalsportslive.com
Doug Pederson is not the unknown quarterbacks coach that Reid was when he came to become the head coach of the Eagles in the late 90’s. However, he has definitely built quite the name for himself to only have been coaching on the NFL level for 5+ years. My question on the Pederson hire really has nothing to do with Pederson. He seems like a likable leader and a smart offensive play-caller, considering the fact that he has done well for himself in Kansas City.
I actually question why more candidates weren’t interviewed. Jeffrey Lurie stated the press conference on Tuesday that the search for a new head coach began with a whopping 25 candidates, but somehow forgot to interview some of the hotter names on the coaching market. That is a disappointment, considering the Eagles had nothing but time and opportunity until the Super Bowl was finished next month. Listen, at the end of the day, I like Pederson. The Eagles could have done much worse and Pederson represents a safe pick to lead the team going forward. However, Pederson will need the support of a talented staff, beginning with the newly hired defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, because Philadelphia is no place to learn how to win football games. Immediate success will be required next season and, if Pederson doesn’t deliver, we may see another head coaching search in 2019.
No matter what the opinions may be, Pederson has landed in Philly, and hopes to be here for the long haul. Only time will tell as to whether he can rescue the sunken ship of the Philadelphia Eagles.
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