Josh Pederson played in the USFL last season
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson had several difficult decisions to make this week in order to cut down the roster by Tuesday’s deadline. Among the players waived was his own son, Josh Pederson.
The former USFL player joined the Jaguars' stacked tight end room in July, not long after he finished up his first season with the Houston Gamblers.
Josh Pederson, #85 of the Houston Gamblers, runs the ball during the first half in the game against the Birmingham Stallions at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on June 11, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Justin Ford/USFL/Getty Images for USFL)
Coach Pederson spoke Monday about the possibility of having to cut his own son from the team, saying as a joke, "I spanked him at one point."
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"Same thing?," Pederson said with a laugh.
After going undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft out of the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Josh Pederson was signed by the San Francisco 49ers, but was waived before the start of the season.
Josh Pederson, #49 of the Jacksonville Jaguars, warms up prior to a preseason game against the Miami Dolphins at TIAA Bank Field on Aug. 26, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Rich Storry/Getty Images)
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He quickly signed with the New Orleans Saints but was again waived before the start of the season.
In February 2022, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs but was waived a few months later. While playing for the Gamblers, he caught 24 passes for 325 yards in 10 games.
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Josh Pederson, #49, catches a pass during Training Camp on July 27, 2023 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Florida. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
"I would want to tell him," Pederson said of informing his son.
"He’s been through this process before with a couple of other teams last year. I’m very familiar with it, obviously, as a former player and just walk him through the process and let him know that everything’s going to be okay."
Paulina Dedaj is a Sports Reporter for Fox News Digital.
