By Jordan Long
The Jacksonville Jaguars season isn’t over as they have two games left. They have started interviewing for their Head Coaching vacancy. Jacksonville, of course, fired Urban Meyer after the Jaguars started 2-11. The record wasn’t the reason he was let go but it was his off the field issues. This included how he behaved off the sidelines as well as how he talked with coaches and players. The Jaguars will speak to Jim Caldwell and Doug Peterson among others. Both of these coaches could make sense.
Caldwell and Peterson have been Head Coaches in the NFL before. Caldwell spent 2009 to 2011 with the Indianapolis Colts. It helped he had Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning in 2009 and 2010. Of course, Manning missed the 2011 season dealing with a neck injury. Caldwell guided the Colts to a 26-22 record, a winning percentage of .542, earning a playoff spot twice, 2009 and 2010. In 2009 the Colts advanced to Super Bowl 44 but lost to the New Orleans Saints 31-17. 2010, the Colts were beaten in the Wild Card round by the New York Jets 17-16.
The Colts fired Caldwell following a 2-14 record when Manning was injured. Once he was fired, Baltimore hired him as the offensive coordinator. He was in Baltimore for two seasons before landing the Head Coaching job of the Detroit Lions beginning in 2014. Caldwell spent 4 years with the Lions. Detroit made the playoffs in 2014 and 2016 but lost in the Wild Card Round. The Lions haven’t earned a postseason berth since. Caldwell was let go after a 9-7 finish in 2017.
The Jaguars may hire Caldwell. He has the results to turn teams around. His overall record in the NFL as a Head Coach is an impressive 62-50. The only downside to Caldwell is he hasn’t been on the sidelines since 2019. Would the Jaguars want to gamble on that? Then again, Caldwell has experience as Head Coach.
Doug Pederson is another name who has been a Head Coach in this league. Pederson was with Philadelphia from 2016 to 2020. He was fired after a 4-11-1 record in 2020. The Eagles went 42-37-1, or a winning percentage of .531. Philadelphia went to the playoffs 3 times with him including winning Super Bowl 52.
Both of these coaches make sense and know what it takes to be an NFL Head Coach. They are both offensive minded coaches and could help the development of quarterback Trevor Lawrence at the NFL level.
Jacksonville may decide to go for a defensive minded coach. The coach they just let go of, Urban Mayer, was an offensive coach. It would make sense to go to the other side of the ball. The defense needs help. The Jaguars know they will take their time. They learned from last year not to go with a splash or a “big name”. It didn’t work out. Whoever the next coach is, hopefully they can help this team improve, maybe even become a Super Bowl threat. Jacksonville has never advanced to the Super Bowl in their history.
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