Eagles fire Doug Pederson after five seasons as head coach

The Eagles fired head coach Doug Pederson less than three years after he helped lead Philadelphia to its first Super Bowl win in franchise history.

For the Eagles, this season was defined by chaos. The team was expected to compete for a playoff spot but instead finished dead last in the extremely mediocre NFC East. Pederson benched Carson Wentz in favor of rookie Jalen Hurts, who showed promise late in the season, but that decision ultimately led to a reported strained relationship between the head coach and former No. 2 overall pick. Of course, things went completely off the rails in Week 17, when Pederson pulled Hurts in a close game against Washington in favor of third QB Nate Sudfeld. That decision angered the New York Giants, who needed the Eagles to win in order to make it to the postseason, and many, including several members of the Eagles, were angered that Pederson seemingly threw the game.

Still, many assumed that Pederson would get at least one more season to right the ship considering his track record, though after a meeting with owner Jeffrey Lurie Monday, he was let go.

Pederson coached five seasons in Philadelphia, winning a Super Bowl in his second year and seemingly establishing himself as one of the game's bright young coaching minds. While he got the Eagles back to the playoffs the two following seasons, the team never quite looked the same, and many began to question if Pederson was really the genius head coach many assumed he was.

For the Eagles, this move arguably leaves them with more questions than answers. Does Pederson's firing mean Wentz may get another shot to start? Will the team still try to honor his alleged trade request while handing the reigns over to Hurts? Who will be the team's next head coach?

It's unlikely Pederson will be unemployed for long, whether as the head coach or offensive coordinator somewhere. It's hard to imagine many teams wouldn't welcome a Super Bowl champion to their coaching staff.

The New York Jets are reportedly interested in bringing Pederson in for an interview.