Doug Pederson
Douglas Irvin Pederson is an American professional football coach and former quarterback in the National Football League who was the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016 to 2020 and Jacksonville Jaguars from 2022 to 2024. He spent most of his 13-season playing career as a backup to Brett Favre on the Green Bay Packers, where he was a member of the team that won Super Bowl XXXI. Pederson was also a backup to Dan Marino on the Miami Dolphins and a starter for the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns until retiring in 2004.
Pederson began his coaching career under Andy Reid, serving as an assistant for the Eagles from 2009 to 2012. After Reid became the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013, Pederson followed him to serve as the Chiefs' offensive coordinator. Pederson returned to the Eagles as their head coach in 2016, a position he held for five seasons. His most successful season with the Eagles was in 2017 when he won Super Bowl LII, the franchise's first Super Bowl title. As the head coach of the Jaguars for three seasons, he led them to a division title and playoff victory in 2022.Playing career
Early life
Pederson was born in Bellingham, Washington, in 1968. He was raised in nearby Ferndale, Washington, and attended Ferndale High School, and was an All-State selection in football, basketball, and baseball. His quarterback coach at Ferndale was Ray Ramsay. After high school he graduated from Northeast Louisiana University, where he was quarterback from 1987 through 1990. He still holds multiple passing records at the school.Professional
Miami Dolphins
Pederson originally signed as a rookie free agent by the Miami Dolphins on May 1, 1991, out of Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe, Louisiana. He was waived on August 17, 1991, before the start of the regular season. After spending the 1991 season as a free agent, the New York/New Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football drafted him in the fifth round for the first pool of draft-eligible players on February 4, 1992. The second pool, which was drafted from on February 20, consisted of players allocated by NFL teams to the league. He was the backup quarterback to Reggie Slack with the Knights from March to May 1992.
After the WLAF season finished, he was re-signed by the Dolphins on June 2, 1992. Pederson spent 1992 training camp with the Dolphins, before being released during final roster cuts again. He was subsequently re-signed to the team's practice squad, where he practiced on the scout team until he was waived on October 8, 1992. He was re-signed by the Dolphins after the season on March 3, 1993. After his third training camp with the Dolphins, he was waived again on August 31, 1993. For the second consecutive season, Pederson was re-signed to the team's practice squad, on September 1, 1993. Dan Marino, the Dolphins' starting quarterback since 1983, ruptured his Achilles' tendon in a week 6 game against the Cleveland Browns on October 10, 1993, forcing backup Scott Mitchell to replace him. Pederson replaced Marino on the active roster, and served as Mitchell's backup for the next four games. Pederson made his NFL debut on October 24, 1993, in a week 8 game against the Indianapolis Colts. He helped head coach Don Shula win his NFL-record 325th victory as a coach when Mitchell suffered a separated shoulder in a week 11 game against the Philadelphia Eagles on November 14, 1993. In that record-breaking game for Coach Shula, Pederson entered in the third quarter of the game and went 3 for 6 for 34 yards while converting several crucial third downs. Pederson was able to steer the Dolphins to the win. Pederson also served as the backup to recently acquired Steve DeBerg for the three games Mitchell missed with injury. He briefly entered a week 14 game against the New York Giants while DeBerg was receiving stitches on his face. Mitchell returned as the Dolphins' starter after week 15, and Pederson was released in favor of backup DeBerg and third-string quarterback Hugh Millen on December 16, 1993.
Pederson re-signed with the Dolphins on April 16, 1994, after the season ended. He spent the entire 1994 season on the Dolphins' active roster as the third-string quarterback behind Marino and Bernie Kosar. On February 15, 1995, Pederson was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the twenty-second round of the NFL expansion draft, after being placed on the Dolphins' available players list on January 19, but was released on May 24, 1995. He returned to the World League after his release, playing with Rhein Fire. Pederson re-signed with the Dolphins again in June 1995. After competing with Dan McGwire throughout training camp, Pederson was waived on August 22, 1995. Marino suffered a knee injury during a week 6 game, so Pederson was re-signed on October 10 to serve as the third quarterback behind Kosar and McGwire for the next two games. He was released again after Marino returned for week 9 on October 24.Green Bay Packers (first stint)
Pederson worked out for the Green Bay Packers following week 10 in 1995, due to a season-ending injury suffered by backup Ty Detmer and a minor injury sustained by starter Brett Favre. Third-string quarterback T. J. Rubley was forced to play in week 10 and threw a game-ending interception after calling an audible, going against head coach Mike Holmgren's playcall. The Packers signed Bob Gagliano to serve as the third-stringer quarterback for weeks 11 and 12. Pederson replaced Gagliano as the third-string quarterback when he signed with the Packers on November 22, 1995. The Packers claimed Jim McMahon off waivers from the Browns to serve as Favre's backup ahead of Pederson and Rubley on November 29, 1995. Rubley was waived on December 13, leaving McMahon and Pederson as Favre's backups. Favre did not miss any games, so Pederson did not see any game action for the Packers in 1995. Pederson served as the third quarterback behind Favre and McMahon in 1996, playing in one game but recorded no statistics. He received a Super Bowl ring following the Packers' win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. He re-signed with the Packers with a two-year contract on February 20, 1997. Pederson was again the third quarterback throughout 1997, backing up Favre and Steve Bono. Pederson beat out Rick Mirer for the backup job to Favre, as well as the primary placekick holder job, in 1998. In a week 5 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Pederson replaced Favre in the last five minutes of a blowout game, and threw two touchdowns in his place. However, Pederson suffered a broken jaw that knocked him out for the team's next four games.Philadelphia Eagles
Pederson signed a three-year, $4.5 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on February 18, 1999, to become the team's starting quarterback under new head coach Andy Reid, who was Pederson's quarterbacks coach in Green Bay from 1997 to 1998. The Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb with the second overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft in April 1999, and Reid said Pederson would remain the starter until McNabb was ready to play. In his nine starts for the Eagles, Pederson had a 2–7 record, a 51.6% completion rate, 1,168 passing yards, six touchdowns, and nine interceptions. In his first career start, a week 1 game against the Arizona Cardinals, Pederson threw two touchdowns in the first quarter to help give the Eagles a 21–0 lead. The Cardinals came back, however, and won the game on a field goal as time expired, 25–24. Pederson went 12-for-25 for 91 yards and two touchdowns in the game. McNabb replaced Pederson, who suffered a bruised throwing shoulder, after one half in a week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in which Pederson went 12-of-19 for 100 yards and an interception. Pederson started a week 3 shutout loss to the Buffalo Bills, going 14-of-26 for 137 yards and two lost fumbles, before being replaced by McNabb again in the fourth quarter. In a week 4 loss to the New York Giants, Pederson went 6-for-15 for 75 yards and two interceptions before being replaced by McNabb after halftime. Pederson's first NFL win came in week 5 in a game against the Dallas Cowboys. He played the entire game, going 11-of-29 for 145 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Pederson played the entirety of the next three games, posting a 1–2 record while throwing three touchdowns and three interceptions. In his final start as an Eagle, Pederson was benched at halftime of a week 9 game against the Carolina Panthers after going 3-of-9 for 28 yards and being down 23–0. He did not see game action at quarterback again until a week 14 game against the Cowboys in which McNabb suffered an injury in the fourth quarter. Pederson went 8-for-12 for 108 yards and a touchdown in the loss, and Koy Detmer received the start ahead of him in week 15 with McNabb still injured. After Pederson spent the next season's training camp with the team, the Eagles released him on August 28, 2000.Cleveland Browns
Pederson considered retirement after being released by the Eagles, but instead signed a two-year contract with the Cleveland Browns on September 2, 2000. The Browns' backup, Ty Detmer, suffered a season-ending injury, and the Browns needed a backup quarterback to starter Tim Couch. This was the second time in Pederson's career that he was signed to replace an injured Ty Detmer. Pederson started as the third quarterback behind Couch and Spergon Wynn, until Couch suffered a season-ending injury in week 7. Pederson started the next six games, posting a 1–5 record. In a week 13 game against the Baltimore Ravens, he was knocked out of the game with bruised ribs and replaced with Wynn. Wynn started the next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he suffered a season-ending injury and Pederson replaced him. Pederson returned for the final two games of the season, losing both, including a 35–24 loss to his former team, the Eagles, and a 24–0 shutout loss to the Tennessee Titans. Pederson was released after the season on February 22, 2001.