Troy Aikman Thinks Eagles Fired Doug Pederson for Picking Hurts over Wentz at QB

[Road to Victory]

 

Troy Aikman Thinks Eagles Fired Doug Pederson for Picking Hurts over Wentz at QB

BLAKE SCHUSTERJANUARY 14, 2021

 

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current NFL on Fox analyst Troy Aikman has a very succinct theory for the reasoning behind Doug Pederson's firing by the Philadelphia Eagles: the benching of Carson Wentz. 

Speaking on the Michael Irvin Podcast, Aikman intimated the decision came down to Pederson siding with the wrong quarterback (h/t Dave Zangaro at NBC Sports Philadelphia):

"What I gathered it came down to was a difference of opinion as to how they were going to move forward at the quarterback position. I sensed that, here Jeffrey Lurie, the owner, has paid a lot of money to Carson Wentz and they're on the hook with him, they can't get out of that contract right away. And yet, it's my belief that Doug Pederson felt that Jalen Hurts was probably the quarterback going forward, and how does that mesh? 
 

"Without having any understanding of what took place in that meeting, I think they said, well, there's a difference of opinion as to how they're going to go forward and correct this past season. I believe it all came down to how they were gonna handle Carson Wentz. And that's why Doug Pederson is now looking for a job."

Aikman's acknowledgment that he has no clue what happened in the meeting between Pederson and team brass certainly stands out here—and his words are shaped by the analyst admitting what he doesn't know. 

If his reading of the situation is correct, however, it means the Eagles fired their coach because he played a quarterback who gave the team its best chance at winning instead of the quarterback to whom the team owes the most money.

That might be something potential Pederson replacements want to bring up in any interviews with the Eagles before accepting a job in Philly. 

 

[VaBeach_Eagle]

I'm all for keeping Carson, I still believe in him and am not ready to give up on him. But I want our coach to make the football decisions, not the owner. 

[Guest]

35 minutes ago, VaBeach_Eagle said:

I'm all for keeping Carson, I still believe in him and am not ready to give up on him. But I want our coach to make the football decisions, not the owner. 

Unless that decision is picking Reagor over Jefferson.

[VaBeach_Eagle]

22 minutes ago, downundermike said:

Unless that decision is picking Reagor over Jefferson.

I'd rather have a coach or GM making the football decisions, mistakes or not, than the owner though. When you get the owner making football decisions, you get Danny Boy and the Redskins. The owner can hold the coach accountable for losing, sure. 

 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

If that's true then we are absolutely f'ed. I mean damn we are in real trouble. Doug should have benched Wentz earlier, he absolutely should not have been fired for benching Wentz. 

[time2rock]

This is nothing more than Aikman offering his best educated guess as to what went down, which means no more than anyone here doing the same.  He doesn't have any inside knowledge to base anything on.  

I don't buy this happened over Wentz having been benched.  If anything, this could have been related to what Doug's plans were moving forward to get both Carson and the offense as a whole back on track.  I believe Lurie wanted Doug to hire a strong, experienced OC to help with both areas (someone like Reich who was on his initial staff) - the idea to promote Taylor probably didn't sit well with him (just as keeping Groh and Walch didn't last year).  Then it became a bit of a tug of war with Doug wanting more say/control over how he runs the team.  But that is just my educated guess which means no more than Troy's.  

[weko]

Perhaps the number 1 reason was how lazy Doug was in hiring coaches.  He didn't want to interview.  Old boy style he promoted those loyal to him regardless of performance.  After we won the SB and Frank left, Doug was too concerned with writing his book than interviewing to replace him.  Wouldn't fire his last 2 coaches then the front office did it for him the day after a news conference where he said they were staying.  Perhaps an overall shortage of intelligence.  The schemes were simple, the route trees basic, the play calling anything but dynamic.  Doug was good in the locker room and treating players, getting them to play for him.  If Howie could draft Doug would have had better players and a better record.  But no great loss here.  He isn't an innovator.  Just because he sat next to Andy all those years doesn't mean he has similar offensive knowledge and skills.  And after the Hurts benching and the tarnish from losing on purpose on the national stage, he had to go.  He lost the locker room there.  

[Road to Victory]

2 hours ago, time2rock said:

This is nothing more than Aikman offering his best educated guess as to what went down, which means no more than anyone here doing the same.  He doesn't have any inside knowledge to base anything on.  

I don't buy this happened over Wentz having been benched.  If anything, this could have been related to what Doug's plans were moving forward to get both Carson and the offense as a whole back on track.  I believe Lurie wanted Doug to hire a strong, experienced OC to help with both areas (someone like Reich who was on his initial staff) - the idea to promote Taylor probably didn't sit well with him (just as keeping Groh and Walch didn't last year).  Then it became a bit of a tug of war with Doug wanting more say/control over how he runs the team.  But that is just my educated guess which means no more than Troy's.  

I agree. I think this had to do with coordinators, maybe both offensive and defensive. Doug probably wanted to keep Taylor, Lurie and Howie wanted him out. Then they might’ve tossed some names out there for DC and couldn’t agree on that either. We all heard the rumors that Doug was tired of being told what to do. 

As for Wentz, there were rumors that Lurie wanted to see Hurts play this year so I’m not sure I buy that reasoning. There could be some disagreement about Wentz’s long term future but I don’t think that was the main reason for letting him go. 

[PoconoDon]

I don't care what Aikman thinks.

[Mike030270]

Don't care what Aikman thinks happened but it's funny how he said that's not what happened

 

[Madriver]

14 hours ago, weko said:

Perhaps the number 1 reason was how lazy Doug was in hiring coaches.  He didn't want to interview.  Old boy style he promoted those loyal to him regardless of performance.  After we won the SB and Frank left, Doug was too concerned with writing his book than interviewing to replace him.  Wouldn't fire his last 2 coaches then the front office did it for him the day after a news conference where he said they were staying.  Perhaps an overall shortage of intelligence.  The schemes were simple, the route trees basic, the play calling anything but dynamic.  Doug was good in the locker room and treating players, getting them to play for him.  If Howie could draft Doug would have had better players and a better record.  But no great loss here.  He isn't an innovator.  Just because he sat next to Andy all those years doesn't mean he has similar offensive knowledge and skills.  And after the Hurts benching and the tarnish from losing on purpose on the national stage, he had to go.  He lost the locker room there.  

Very well said. 

And I for one do not believe Doug will suddenly morph into a great coach just because he lives in a different city.

He is a not-too-bright guy who was surrounded by smarter people in 2017 and a SB win went completely to his head. Hell when you think about it, he really didn't even call the Philly Special. Foles did.

[time2rock]

On 1/15/2021 at 8:40 AM, weko said:

Perhaps the number 1 reason was how lazy Doug was in hiring coaches.  He didn't want to interview.  Old boy style he promoted those loyal to him regardless of performance.  After we won the SB and Frank left, Doug was too concerned with writing his book than interviewing to replace him.  Wouldn't fire his last 2 coaches then the front office did it for him the day after a news conference where he said they were staying.  Perhaps an overall shortage of intelligence.  The schemes were simple, the route trees basic, the play calling anything but dynamic.  Doug was good in the locker room and treating players, getting them to play for him.  If Howie could draft Doug would have had better players and a better record.  But no great loss here.  He isn't an innovator.  Just because he sat next to Andy all those years doesn't mean he has similar offensive knowledge and skills.  And after the Hurts benching and the tarnish from losing on purpose on the national stage, he had to go.  He lost the locker room there.  

Assembling a strong staff is definitely not a strength of Doug's - it is up there with other weaknesses under Doug like player development or adjusting scheme to play to his players strengths (on both offense and defense).  I don't think the former was related to being lazy though - I think it is more out of loyalty to those that have logged hours for him.  He just doesn't seem to have it in him to make those tough decisions to hire the very best even if it means disappointing someone that works for him by passing over them (when many of them just weren't doing a very good job overall).  Time for a HC that can make those tough decisions and correct those other areas of weakness.  

[PoconoDon]

Now that Wentz has been traded, Aikman should think that the Eagles consistently do whatever services Howie Roseman's interests. Been that way for years.

[Perforator]

No, now it will be he was fired because he refused to bench Wentz.

[jsdarkstar]

Doug could have benched Wentz earlier than he did. Doug gave Wentz more time to get it right. He didn't. Doug was right to Bench Wentz because of his horrible play. Wentz wasn't man enough to deal with it.