As a player, Doug Pederson was on a Green Bay Packers team that made it back to the Super Bowl the year after winning it — only to lose.
Now as a head coach, the leader of the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles is committed to making sure the same thing doesn’t happen to his team this time around.
Ironically enough, Pederson is looking at the team Philadelphia beat to win the championship, the New England Patriots, for guidance on helping the Eagles learn to avoid a Super Bowl hangover.
During an interview with Sports Illustrated, Pederson brought up the preparation of Patriots coach Bill Belichick, and said he respects his rival’s ability to keep things grounded and focused in New England.
That approach has brought five Super Bowls to New England, a number Pederson would ideally like to reach and even surpass. To do that, the Eagles will have to first get a second ring. To make sure they do, or at least give them a shot, Pederson has been emphasizing the need to look forward, not back, to his team during this offseason.
“I was on a team in Green Bay where we went back to the Super Bowl the second year and we lost,” Pederson said. “So I have history with this. And not from the standpoint of guys just out there doing their own thing, I just wanted to address the team and make them aware that people, number one, are gonna pat you on the back and tell you how good you are, how great you were, and, two, they’re gonna pull you in a bunch of different directions. Everyone’s gonna wanna see the ring, hold the trophy, and that’s great. Remembering is great. But don’t live in the past.”
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