Doug Pederson addresses firing, relationship with Carson Wentz, and what’s next

Doug Pederson spoke publicly for the first time since he was fired in January, and the former Eagles coach didn’t dispute reports that Jeffrey Lurie’s dissatisfaction with his coaching-staff decisions played a role in his exit.

“I’m going to continue to stand up for the guys that I want to surround myself with and try and put my best foot forward,” Pederson said. “I feel like that as a head coach [I] should have that opportunity to have those guys around me.

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“Because then it’s on me. Then it’s my decision if it goes south at that point. Then that’s something I have to live with.”

The interview with Pederson was conducted by NBCSportsPhilly’s John Clark for his podcast. While most of the conversation centered on Pederson’s son, Josh, a tight end out of Louisiana-Monroe who is trying to get drafted, a few lingering Eagles topics were addressed.

Pederson said that he wanted a chance to return and rebound from last season’s dismal 4-11-1 year. He confirmed that he won’t coach in the NFL in 2021, but that he wants to “be on the sideline in a year.” And he downplayed reports that his relationship with quarterback Carson Wentz was fractured by season’s end.

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“I do believe there’s a little [false narrative] out there where Carson and I were on such bad terms, and I’ve never felt that way,” Pederson said. “I’ve always felt like I was going to do the right thing for the Philadelphia Eagles, and yet I understand what he was feeling and what he was going through.

“I know there was frustration there.”

Pederson benched Wentz in Week 13. Despite a report that suggested the coach and quarterback hadn’t spoken for around two months during the season, they still spoke during that span, team sources said. Their relationship was strained, however, and after the benching, they communicated only via text messages.

Wentz was traded to the Colts last month. His desire was to leave Philly even without Pederson in charge. His issues with the Eagles clearly went beyond the coach. Pederson said that Wentz should benefit from a “fresh start” in Indianapolis.

Pederson was asked if he believed that Jalen Hurts could succeed as the Eagles’ starting quarterback next season.

“I think he can,” he said. “A lot like Carson, he’s got such a great leadership style. Guys really gravitate toward him. His work ethic is second to none.”

Lurie, in January, said that Pederson didn’t necessarily “deserve” to be fired three years after winning a Super Bowl, and just a year after making the playoffs. He said that the coach’s desire to win in the short term would be at odds with the Eagles’ need to build for the long term.

“I would have loved an opportunity to really fix the season last year and get things back on track, and really turn that thing around,” Pederson said. “I understand where [Lurie] is coming from and the situation moving forward.”

There had been some belief from sources close to Pederson that he no longer wanted to coach the Eagles under the constraints of having to work with the hands-on owner. When he met with Lurie after the season, Pederson said that he wanted to promote quarterbacks coach Press Taylor to offensive coordinator, among other in-house promotions.

Lurie wanted a leaguewide search for coaches with top credentials.

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Pederson is living in South Florida. He said that he might attend some NFL camps this summer to pick up some new ideas, but that he’ll take a year off before considering offers.

“I feel like I have some good years ahead of me,” he said.

The 53-year-old Pederson mostly focused on the positives from his five years as Eagles coach. He called his firing “water under the bridge” and hoped that when he returns to Philly, fans will remember the good times more than the bad.

“I know that I can, obviously, hold my head up high, very proud of what I did in the five years in Philadelphia,” Pederson said, “obviously bringing that organization and city a championship.”