Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

NFL coach releases his own son on cutdown day

By Gerrit Ritt | Last updated 8/29/23

Doug Pederson is a Super Bowl-winning head coach, who knows a thing or two about piecing together a championship-caliber NFL roster.

Pederson is in his second season at the helm of the Jacksonville Jaguars, looking to take his new team to the same lofty heights he did with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Pederson is also the father of an NFL prospect.

And on Tuesday, Pederson had to make what might be the toughest decision he's ever had to make as an NFL head coach.

He cut his own son.

Josh Pederson is a 25-year-old NFL hopeful with one season of USFL experience looking to make his NFL dream come true. But there's no room for nepotism in the National Football League. At least not in Jacksonville.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson released his own son, Josh Pederson, from the team on cutdown day.

The 25-year-old tight end didn't make the 53-man squad.

Football is a business. pic.twitter.com/kDy8pP89RI
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 30, 2023

The younger Pederson was facing long odds to make the squad in the first place, with the team carrying six tight ends up until final cuts. But even with Coach Pederson deciding to keep four of them on the final roster, Josh wasn't able to make the squad.

Josh played in all three preseason games for the Jaguars but failed to make a catch. He also played as an emergency long snapper on a punt, which didn't turn out well.

This high snap on the Punt came by Josh Pederson, son of head coach Doug Pederson.. pic.twitter.com/mWYpGTww0o
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 12, 2023