Eagles name Chiefs’ Pederson new coach

PHILADELPHIA — Doug Pederson's communication and leadership skills gave him the inside track on becoming the new coach for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Owner Jeffrey Lurie stressed a few times the importance of those qualities in his decision to pick Pederson, who spent the past three seasons as offensive coordinator under former Eagles coach Andy Reid in Kansas City.

"Checked the box on everything we looked at from football intelligence, overall intelligence, strategic thinking, communication skills, collaboration skills, genuineness, comfortable in your own skin, leadership abilities," Lurie said Tuesday. "Those were the obvious ones. It was pretty easy."

Pederson

accepted

the position last week and was officially named the coach on Monday, two days after the Chiefs were eliminated from the playoffs. The 47year-old former backup quarterback is back for his third tour of duty with the Eagles.

He started his first NFL game for Reid's Eagles in 1999, grooming Donovan McNabb in his rookie season. He got his first job as an assistant coach in the NFL under Reid in Philadelphia in 2009.

"I understand the culture and the passion of Philadelphia. I get it," Pederson said.

"I experienced that firsthand. And now coming back, I understand what it feels like to win in this city. This city hasn't won and this organization hasn't won in quite some time.

"It's my job to turn that around. And you do it one day at a time. You do it one player at a time and you do it one coach at a time."

Lurie said the Eagles began with a list of 25 candidates that was narrowed down to 10.