Jaguars waive TE Josh Pederson, son of HC Doug Pederson

Favoritism may work in little league sports up until high school, but when it comes to the NFL, favoritism isn’t best for business. The Jacksonville Jaguars and head coach Doug Pederson proved that Tuesday, as the franchise waived Pederson’s son, tight end Josh Pederson.

Pederson was let go during the final 53-man roster cutdowns, bringing an end to his time in Jacksonville after less than two months. While it may have been a bit of an uncomfortable conversation between father and son, it was a move that was expected.

Pederson declared for the 2021 NFL Draft but went undrafted. The San Francisco 49ers subsequently signed him, but after a quiet training camp, he got his release from the franchise on Aug. 4. Two days later, he signed with the New Orleans Saints but again was waived on August 21. In February 2022, he signed a reserve/future contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. He has yet to appear in a regular season NFL game.

He signed with the Houston Gamblers of the USFL ahead of the spring football league’s rebirth in 2022. Pederson suited up in 10 games (six starts) this past season, hauling in 24 receptions for 325 yards. The Gamblers terminated his contract after the season to allow him to sign with an NFL team.

Pederson spent five years at Louisiana-Monroe. He had a breakout season in 2019 with the Warhawks, hauling in 43 receptions for 567 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. His performances earned him a Pro Football Focus All-American honorable mention and a first-team All-Sun Belt nod. He finished his Sun Belt career with 99 receptions for 1,191 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Jaguars make tough call on TE Josh Pederson

He called the opportunity to be coached by his dad “humbling.”

“This is super humbling, you know?” Pederson said earlier this offseason, via First Coast News. “The position where I’m at right now, there’s never a day I don’t think about it. I’m just super grateful the fact that he’s coaching me and I’m getting to learn from his staff. It’s something special… I’ve sat on the sideline for the last, however many years he’s been a head coach, just as his son. And then to learn and he him through that lens is just a little bit more special.”