Jan. 3, 2016; Kansas City, MO; Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson talks to defensive lineman Dontari Poe before the game against the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium. (Emily DeShazer/The Topeka Capital-Journal)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson interviewed on Sunday with the Philadelphia Eagles for their head coaching position.
The soon to be 48-year old Pederson spent time with the Eagles as a player (1999) and an assistant coach (2009-12) on Andy Reid’s coaching staff. He joined Reid on his move to Kansas City in 2013, becoming the offensive coordinator.
Pederson met with Philadelphia owner Jeffrey Lurie, along with the Eagles vice president of football operations Howie Roseman and team president Don Smolenski. The conversation took place in Kansas City.
“I think it’s great,” Reid said of Pederson’s interview. “The opportunity is a compliment to the hard work he’s done. He’s ready to do that. If he has the opportunity, more power to him.”
The Eagles have publicly confirmed they have interviewed four other potential candidates to replace fired head coach Chip Kelly: Chicago offensive coordinator Adam Gase, New York Giants offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley. Gase was hired on Saturday as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Philadelphia has asked and been given permission to talk with former Giants head coach Tom Coughlin.
If he were to become the Eagles choice to replace Kelly, Pederson would be unavailable until the Chiefs are eliminated from the postseason.
This is not unfamiliar territory for Reid, who saw Brad Childress hired as head coach in Minnesota Vikings after the 2005 season and John Harbaugh left in 2008 to become head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
“There are only 32 of them in the whole world, so the opportunity to do (the job) is a great compliment to your hard work and endurance in some cases,” said Reid.
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Bob Gretz is the senior editor for ChiefsDigest.com. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @BobGretzcom.
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