Report: Jaguars Seeking Permission To Interview Pep Hamilton for OC Role
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson is a little behind other head coaching hires in terms of filling out his staff, but that isn't stopping the former Super Bowl champion from potentially making big waves with his hires.
According to CBS Sports and USA Today's Josina Anderson, the Jaguars have submitted a request to speak with Houston Texans passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton for the team's offensive coordinator role.
Hamilton has already interviewed this cycle with the New York Giants and Chicago Bears, and the Texans are not able to formally decline the Jaguars' request since Hamilton would have an elevated role in Jacksonville.
Hamilton spent last season with Houston, helping develop third-round rookie quarterback Davis Mills as he threw 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions for 2,664 yards in 11 starts. In 2020, Hamilton was quarterbacks coach for the Los Angeles Chargers as then-rookie quarterback Justin Hamilton broke most rookie passing records.
Hamilton was a head coach and general manager in the XFL in 2020. From 2017-2018, Hamilton served as Michigan's assistant head coach and passing game coordinator. In 2016, he was the Cleveland Browns' assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach.
Hamilton was last an offensive coordinator from 2013-2015, where he spent three seasons with Andrew Luck following Luck's rookie season. Before then, Hamilton spent 2011-2012 as Stanford's quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. Before joining Stanford as a receivers coach in 2010, Hamilton had stops with the Jets, 49ers and Bears as a quarterbacks coach.
Hamilton has no ties to Pederson, and it is still widely assumed that former Eagles passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Press Taylor is the favorite to be Pederson's offensive coordinator. Still, it appears the Jaguars will at least consider Hamilton as Pederson looks to build his first staff with the Jaguars.
"That's obviously the big topic when it comes to the interview. As I look around the league and I even think about the staff that I worked with over -- and it evolved. It shaped itself over the five years there in Philadelphia," Pederson said about hiring a staff at his introductory press conference on Saturday. "At the end of the day, you find guys that you love coming to work with. And we all have the same common goal, to win games.
"We work together, and we're in place, as I mentioned earlier, to help the player to become the best version of himself. And that's how you end up winning the game through one player at a time. Staff is important. I love guys that are high energy guys because I'm going to be that way on the field, and guys that are great teachers and great communicators. It doesn't always have to be your best friend because there's some great coaches out there and there's some guys that -- it's just unfortunate, but there's only just so many spots on a coaching staff. You could fill them with a lot of good coaches. At the end of the day, I get the decision to make that choice, and through communication and, again, our process here, and that's who I want to surround myself with. It's an ongoing process now. Nothing is set. Nothing has been established. I'm going to be working on that here in the coming days."
