JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jaguars coach Doug Pederson’s son is the team’s newest tight end.
The Jaguars signed Josh Pederson on Monday, bringing him aboard nearly a month after he finished the USFL season with the Houston Gamblers. Pederson caught 24 passes for 325 yards in 10 games. The Gamblers terminated his contract last week so he could sign with a then-unnamed NFL team.
He replaces undrafted rookie Leonard Taylor, who was waived with an injury designation.
Despite being the coach’s kid, Pederson could have a tough time making Jacksonville’s opening-day roster. The Jags have veteran Evan Engram, who has yet to sign his franchise tender, atop a depth chart that includes second-round draft pick Brenton Strange, 2021 fifth-rounder Luke Farrell and Gerrit Prince.
Josh Pederson has yet to play an NFL snap, but he has spent time with the San Francisco 49ers (2021), New Orleans Saints (2021) and Kansas City Chiefs (2022) since his four-year college career at Louisiana-Monroe. He caught 99 passes for 1,191 yards and 11 touchdowns with the Warhawks.
The Pedersons aren’t the first father-son combination to become coach and player on the same team in professional sports. Doc and Austin Rivers did it in the NBA. Cal Ripken Sr. and Jr. did it in Major League Baseball, along with Felipe and Moisés Alou and Dale and Yogi Berra.
Two-time Super Bowl winner Tom Coughlin coached his son-in-law, guard Chris Snee, with the New York Giants.
A more recent NFL family tie: The Dallas Cowboys drafted Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn in the sixth round, a move that places Vaughn and his father, Chris, on the same team. Chris Vaughn is the team’s assistant director of college scouting.