Doug Pederson Reportedly Could Take a Year off Coaching After Eagles Firing

Former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson is reportedly considering taking a year off rather than returning to coaching in 2021.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported Wednesday that it remains possible that Pederson will be "intrigued" by a head-coaching vacancy but could instead decide to decompress. The 52-year-old's contract with the Eagles ran through the 2022 season, so it's unlikely he will feel rushed to get back into the mix.

Philadelphia fired Pederson on Monday after five seasons. He compiled a 42-37-1 record, earning three playoff berths and winning Super Bowl LII. His departure came amid a falling out with the Eagles locker room and management. Owner Jeffrey Lurie and Pederson met in recent weeks to discuss the organization's future, and Lurie was uninspired by the coach's vision. 

"My first allegiance is, what will be best for the Philadelphia Eagles and our fans for the next three, four, five years. It's not based on does someone deserve to hold their job or deserve to get fired; that's a different bar," Lurie told reporters Monday.

"It's not about, 'Did Doug deserve to be let go?' No, he did not deserve to be let go. That's not where I'm coming from, and that's not the bar in the evaluation process."

The final nail in Pederson's tenure appeared to be his decision to bench Jalen Hurts in the second half of a winnable Week 17 game against the Washington Football Team. Hurts had been struggling through the air but had two touchdown runs, and some publicly criticized Pederson because they felt he was purposely tanking the game for draft position. The Eagles will pick sixth in the 2021 draft as a result of the loss and would have selected ninth with a victory.

Carson Wentz's descent from a seeming franchise face to the sport's most turnover-prone quarterback also played a factor. Wentz and Pederson clearly were not on the same page as the season progressed, and Wentz was a healthy scratch in Week 17.

The New York Jets have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Pederson. However, it appears San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is the overwhelming favorite to land the position.