The Philadelphia Eagles had one of the most disappointing 2020 campaigns of any team in the NFL, as they went 4-11-1 to finish last in the woefully bad NFC East despite boasting a roster most anticipated would be among the best in the division.
At the forefront of Philly’s problems was an offense that was dreadful, ranking 28th in the NFL in yards per play (5.0) and had the third most turnovers in the league with 29. Carson Wentz looked rattled and unsure behind an offensive line that was extremely shaky and the one-time MVP candidate became downright unplayable as the season wore on. Eventually, the Eagles turned things over to rookie Jalen Hurts, although some would say it was too little too late, and while there were some bright spots, even with the more dynamic Hurts, the offense still struggled to put points on the board consistently.
The season culminated in a 20-14 loss to the Football Team that saw Hurts get pulled for Nate Sudfeld in the fourth quarter, a move many felt was blatantly tanking and was divisive even within the Philly locker room. All of that seemed to combine to create the perfect storm in Philadelphia this offseason to push head coach Doug Pederson out the door, as was reported by various outlets on Monday afternoon.
Doug Pederson is out as #Eagles coach, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 11, 2021
Per source, Doug Pederson is out in Philadelphia.
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) January 11, 2021
The Eagles made the news official shortly after reports emerged, with a statement citing how the coach and ownership had differing views on their vision for the future of the organization.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 11, 2021
Pederson went 42-37-1 in five seasons as the Eagles head coach, with the high point being Philadelphia’s Super Bowl win in 2017. In the three years since, the Eagles went 9-7, 9-7, and 4-11-1, winning just one playoff game in two appearances in that frame. Given how rapidly the Eagles ascended to the top of the NFL under Pederson, it’s a rather shocking demise for his tenure in Philadelphia, but with the way this season ended it appears the Eagles felt they had no choice but to make a change.
