January 19, 2016
Welcome to the Doug Pederson Era.
The Philadelphia Eagles introduced Pederson, the man who will replace Chip Kelly as the team's head coach, on Tuesday in front of a packed auditorium at NovaCare. The press conference concluded what owner Jeffrey Lurie called "a very detailed and exhaustive search process" -- one that began with 25 candidates and has ended with just one.
"Looking at the Philadelphia Eagles, what intrigued me... One is the opportunity to lead young men, an opportunity to be surrounded by quality individuals; top-notch individuals,'' Pederson said. "A tremendous owner -- an owner that gives you the fullest of support.
"The players that are in this room, my challenge to them is that we are going to work every day; we're going to work hard every day. As coaches, it's our job to make you better as individuals, make you better as men and make you better as Philadelphia Eagles. And that's my job. It starts with me."
Pederson, the former quarterback who spent the 1999 season with the Eagles, spent the last three seasons as Andy Reid's offensive coordinator in Kansas City after spending the previous three as an assistant in Philadelphia, first as an offensive quality control coach and then as the quarterbacks coach.
Prior to that, he was the head coach at Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport, La.
Now, just 12 years after his playing career ended and seven since he got his first NFL job, Pederson is in charge of the Eagles, who finished 7-9 in 2015 after going 10-6 in each of their first two seasons under Kelly.
But according to Pederson, that lack of experience won't be a problem.
"I think the people I have been surrounded with – the Don Shulas, the Mike Holmgrens, the Andy Reids – and being part of a championship organization in the Green Bay Packers and with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles and understanding what that takes, and that dynamic to win the National Football League has prepared me for this opportunity," Pederson said.
And Lurie, who said he wanted to find a coach who was "comfortable in his own skin," agreed.
"The things we noticed real early on in his career have really blossomed over the last decade," Lurie said. "First, he's real smart and a strategic thinker. As a player and a coach, he's worked under coaches that really know how to do it right. Whether it's Don Shula, Mike Holmgren, Andy Reid ... these are well-organized coaches that were and are absolutely at the forefront of their profession."
Pederson announced on Tuesday that former Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, who was in attendance, will be his new defensive coordinator but added that the search for his offensive counterpart is still ongoing, despite reports that former Chargers assistant Frank Reich would be tapped for the job.
Pederson also confirmed that both offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland and Dave Fipp, the Eagles highly respected special teams coach brought in under Kelly, would remain on the staff.
As for which players will be on the roster when camp opens, that will be a "collaborative effort," according to Pederson, between he, Howie Roseman and Tom Donahue. And when it comes to who will have final say over the 90-man and 53-man roster, the answer remains the same.
When asked who will break the tie between the three -- another, creative way of asking who is actually in charge of personnel -- Lurie raised his hand, drawing laughs from the throng of media members and Eagles employees in attendance. The owner later added that the team would be beginning another search process to find a head of personnel.
The large contingent of media on hand was no surprise to Pederson, as he's become more than familiar with the area during his multiple stints with the team, both as a player and as coach. His wife, Jeannie, was also in attendance, and Pederson even said that his three kids, one of whom graduated from Moorestown High in N.J., are excited to return as well.
And that familiarity with not only the area, but also the Eagles' fan base, gives Pederson a head start.
"I understand the culture and passion of Philadelphia,'' he said. "I get it. I experienced it first-hand as a quarterback in 1999. And now, coming back, I understand what it means to win in this city. This city, this organization hasn't won in a long time. And it's my job to turn that around. And you do that one day at a time, one player at a time, one coach at a time."
