Account
Jaguars Rumors: Josh McDaniels, Brian Daboll, Doug Pederson Among HC Candidates
December 17, 2021
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan reportedly has discussed Byron Leftwich, Brian Daboll, Todd Bowles, Doug Pederson and Josh McDaniels as potential head coaching candidates for 2022, per Jordan Schultz.
Previous head coach Urban Meyer was fired this week after a 2-11 start to his first season in the NFL. Darrell Bevell is set to serve as the interim coach for the remainder of 2021.
Jacksonville has already clinched double-digit losses for the fourth straight season while the franchise has just one year with a winning record since 2007.
The list of projected candidates features a varied field from both sides of the ball, some with head coaching experience and others without.
Pederson, 53, was the most successful head coach on the list, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl title after the 2017 season. He produced a 42-37-1 record across five years before he was fired after going 4-11-1 in 2020.
McDaniels struggled as a head coach for the Denver Broncos (11-17 over two seasons), but he has excelled as an offensive coordinator during his career with the New England Patriots. In his first 12 seasons running the Patriots offense, the 45-year-old has led a top-10 scoring attack 11 times.
Bowles went 24-40 during four seasons as the New York Jets head coach, although he has also thrived as a coordinator. The 58-year-old helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl last season and has navigated injuries to keep the unit tough again in 2021.
Leftwich also won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay as the team's offensive coordinator and the unit is even better in 2021, currently ranking first in the NFL in both points scored and total yards. Even without head coaching experience, the 41-year-old is clearly a coach on the rise.
Daboll, 46, is also seeking his first head coaching position after eight years as an NFL coordinator. The Buffalo Bills had the No. 2 offense in football last season under Daboll's leadership and remain an elite squad with the sixth-most points in the NFL.
Turning things around in Jacksonville would be a challenge for any of these men, but there are exciting pieces to help create a contender. Even with Trevor Lawrence struggling as a rookie, the 2021 No. 1 overall draft pick is loaded with talent and could thrive in the right system.
The right coach could get the most out of the roster and help the Jaguars return to the postseason.