Doug Pederson helped Nick Sirianni after the Eagles canned him, and I gotta say, he’s a better man than most

Drew Smith
October 30, 2024
Eagles
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Nick Sirianni held his weekly presser today and shared a story about Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson helping him get settled into his new role as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Obviously, Doug Pederson was the coach in Philly before Sirianni, but even knowing that I wonder why on earth you would help the guy who took your job after you got canned.

Helping your replacement right after you’re shown the door doesn’t exactly seem like the obvious move.

Imagine being ousted from a job, one you’ve poured yourself into, only to be asked to help the new guy figure things out?

For most people, that’s a hard pass. In fact, I would personally light the building on fire and pray for my replacement’s downfall on a daily basis, but, hey, maybe that’s just me.

Doug Pederson helped Nick Sirianni after the Eagles canned him:

Wait, Doug Pederson actually HELPED Nick Sirianni get acclimated to the Eagles in 2021 after getting fired?

Be honest, are you doing the same for your replacement at your job? 🤔😂 pic.twitter.com/vD3OP5Q77D
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) October 30, 2024

This isn’t your buddy taking over your shift at the bar; it’s the head coach gig for an NFL franchise. Pederson’s let-go wasn’t exactly a ceremonial “thanks for everything” gesture, either. He got canned two seasons after leading Philly to its first Super Bowl in franchise history.

While it was definitely time to part ways with Dougie P, knowing that he was still around helping Sirianni get acclimated with the Eagles is bizarre. How about a quick “Good luck, you’re on your own” as you leave town?

Trust me, I understand it’s not the mature thing to do, but I find it hard to believe that it wasn’t a tough pill to swallow watching someone else step into shoes, even more so when you were pushed out after accomplishing what no Eagles head coach has ever done before.

Maybe Pederson’s background as a career backup conditioned him to play the support role a bit too well. Or maybe he’s just that much of a team player. But honestly, I’d be screening those calls. Your replacement’s success—or struggle—isn’t your problem anymore. Sink or swim, the guy has a job to do, just like you did. It’s not your job to make sure he gets a smooth landing.

Some might call it classy, but if you’re constantly holding the door open for the next person who’ll take your place, when do you finally look out for yourself?

Dougie P is a good guy, maybe one of the best, but in the cutthroat world of the NFL, that type of loyalty and “take one for the team” mentality only gets you so far. At some point, you have to wonder if that selflessness hurt him more than helped.

And here’s the kicker—Sirianni and the Eagles face Pederson and the Jaguars this weekend. Wouldn’t it be something if Sirianni’s success, fueled by Pederson’s helping hand, ends up adding pressure on Doug’s own job in Jacksonville?

Imagine that. The guy you helped acclimate to your old job blows the doors off your team and gets you fired. Doug is already dangerously close to getting shown the door as is. I wouldn’t call it poetic justice, but it’s undoubtedly something straight out of a Greek tragedy.