Doug Pederson was fired as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, three seasons after guiding the American football team to its first NFL title since 1960.
Eagles chairman and owner Jeffrey Lurie announced his decision in a statement, saying it was best to part ways with Pederson after a woeful season – going 4-11 with one drawn.
“I’ve spent the last few weeks evaluating everything from this past year and looking ahead,” Lurie said. “We’re all very disappointed with the way our season went and eager to turn things around, not just for next season but also for the future of the franchise.
“Coach Pederson and I had the opportunity to sit down and discuss what that collective vision would look like moving forward. After taking some time to reflect on these conversations, I believe it’s in both of our best interests to part ways.”
Pederson went 42-37-1 over five season as coach of the Eagles, including a 41-33 victory over New England in Super Bowl 52 in 2018 at Minneapolis.
Pederson, 52, is a former player who spent most of he career as a backup to legendary Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre.
The Eagles went 9-7 in each of the next two seasons, losing in the first and second rounds of the playoffs, before slumping in 2020.
“As the leader of this organisation, it’s imperative for me to do what I believe is best for everyone as we look ahead to the future and move into our next chapter,” Lurie said.
“I know that we have work to do to get back to where we want to be, but I also believe that we have an exceptionally strong group of people in this organization who can help set us up for future success.”