HEAD COACH DOUG PEDERSON
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2024
(On injury updates for RB Travis Etienne Jr. and CB Tyson Campbell) “Yeah, I think Etienne is
progressing. We still haven’t made a decision yet. We’re going to get through tomorrow,
could be game time. But he’s doing well. He’s doing really well. Tyson looks good, had a
good week of preparation. And again, just barring any setbacks, he should be cleared and
good for the game. We’ll make that decision. Both decisions will be Etienne’s probably
game day. If we make a decision on Tyson, it would have to be tomorrow. Just to clarify.”
(On the keys to winning on Sunday) “One, we need to eliminate the mistakes, right? There’s
enough coaching mistakes, player mistakes, we’re in this together. So just eliminate that. I
think the biggest thing is just relax and play, have fun, get back to enjoying football and
being with your teammates. It’s been obviously a great eight, nine, 10 days out here from a
bonding experience with the team. So, if we just do that, execute, focus on our jobs, and
play hard, it gives us a chance.”
(On why NFL fans in the UK should become Jaguars fans) “Because it’s the Jacksonville
Jaguars and we have a great fan base. We have a great UK fan base. It’s excitable. It’s great
to play in Wembley Stadium, great venue for sports. It’s an exciting brand of football. I like
the fact too that they’re NFL fans, that they like that brand. That’s what you see when you
come over here. Obviously, you see Jaguar fans but you’re going to see Patriots, Bears,
Cowboys, Steelers and Dolphins. You’re going to see them all, which is great. Being NFL
fans, I think, is huge for our game.”
(On the challenge of planning for a rookie quarterback) “Yeah, you do go back and just look.
Look at his last year. Look what he does well. Also look at what affects him. What moves his
eyes around a little bit and things like that. But obviously, just I think defensively, when
you’re playing a young rookie quarterback or a new quarterback in that fact, I think you just
got to trust your instincts, trust your job, what you’ve been asked to do this week in the
game plan, in the scheme, execute the call. Then just make the play. Make the play when it
comes to you. Don’t go searching, because he can run with it, make plays with his legs and
he’s good outside the pocket. So just stay disciplined.”
(On how the guys have responded to the loss this week) “I think these guys have really
weathered this storm well. As you know, we’re all disappointed. We’re frustrated. We feel
like we should be better than what we are record-wise. We are better than what our record
indicates. I think this week was huge. I think each day got better, emotionally got better. You
can see it in practice. You can see the guys flying around, having fun. There’s enthusiasm.
There’s laughing. There’s joking around. It’s just having fun at practice, and then getting your
work done when you need to get it done. I think that’s important for us at this time to spend
this week and a half over here.”
(On if he’s excited to see QB Trevor Lawrence and WR Gabe Davis’s connection on Sunday)
“Yeah, that’s why we brought Gabe here – to make that connection. We really haven’t seen
it to its fullest. Obviously, we can’t ask Trevor to force a throw. But at the same time, if the
ball is going to go there, make the throw, make the catch. Gabe’s a great player. He’s a great
leader on offense and looking forward to watching these two Sunday.”
(On where he would play a game anywhere in the world other than London) “Jacksonville.
That’s a great question. I played back in the World League back in the early ’90s and even
back when the NFL internationally traveled to places like Tokyo, Japan, and we were in
Germany and places like that. I mean, those are all great venues. They have great sports
teams and to be able to bring an NFL team back there to one of those two, would be
something I think the NFL is looking into. Obviously, we go to South America and places like
that now. Just keep me out of Alaska, and places like that would be fine.”
(On his thoughts on establishing a football league abroad to feed international players into
the NFL) “Yeah, I thought back then, now you’ve got the UFL, obviously. It may not be
necessarily a feeder for the NFL. But I think it’s a way to develop young players and that’s
what we need. We need that development in our league. It was that way back when I played
in it and took advantage. Obviously, I’m a former player there and now a coach. But I think
there’s a lot of coaches that played in that league. It was good because teams could
allocate players back then and really develop. I think you see it in baseball all the time. You
see it in hockey. You see it in all the different sports, and we just don’t have that one right
now. I think working with the UFL or the spring leagues in America right now would be good.
But also having the pathway program like we have internationally is also a good way to
introduce these guys into football and just getting them caught up because they haven’t
played. It’s just kind of knowing the rules, right? Just knowing what it’s all about. I think it’d
be very beneficial for them and even for our young players in America.”
(On what positives he’s seen this week from the team) “What I’ve seen is how our guys have
focused on the game plan, their attention to detail in practice. Like I mentioned, the
excitement and the enthusiasm of getting back out on the field and just continuing to work.
I don’t see anybody tanking it, quitting, going the other direction. Everybody’s pushing each
other and I’m pushing them. I’m pushing the coaches. Those are all positives. Those are
things that are pushing us and moving us forward. That’s what we’re going to have to do. I
mean, look we are 1-5. So, we can’t get four games back in one, but we can start chipping
away at it. It’s a big game for us and we’ve got to make sure we just handle our business.”
(On what has helped the team work together in the last few days) “One, I think just being
here together as a team. We’re in the hotel together. We’re in the meetings. We see each
other in the hallways. Nobody goes home. I mean, this is our home. So that’s definitely a
positive and that’s what builds team chemistry and that camaraderie that you want. Then,
we’re in the meetings together and we’re walking over here to practice together. I think
that’s the biggest thing. I think that’s the number one thing is just that we’re all together and
we’re learning more about each other, and it’s been good.”
(On his message to Jaguars fans in the UK) “Need to be loud. Show up in numbers. It’s a
great venue, as I’ve said earlier. Wembley’s a great place to play. We need all the Jags fans
out there to make it loud for us and more loud for New England. So come on out, support,
and look forward to the game on Sunday.”
JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jaguars have made the following roster moves, the team announced today:
- Activated CB Tyson Campbell from the Reserve/Injured; Designated to Return list
- Elevated RB Jake Funk and DE Joe Gaziano to the active roster for tomorrow’s game via standard elevation
Campbell started at cornerback in Jacksonville’s Week 1 game at Miami and recorded three solo tackles and one tackle for loss. He was placed on the Reserve/Injured list on September 12, 2024. Originally drafted in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2021 Draft, Campbell has started 43 games and posted 207 total tackles, 30 passes defensed and six interceptions.
Funk was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round (233rd overall) of the 2021 Draft. After his rookie season with Rams he also spent part of the 2022 season with the team. He later signed with New Orleans (2022), Indianapolis (2022), Miami (2023) and Baltimore’s (2023) practice squads. In January 2024, Funk signed with Detroit and was waived in August. Prior to the NFL, the Gaithersburg, Md., native played at Maryland from 2016-2020, redshirting in 2018 due to injury. He finished his senior season (2020) ranking first in the Big Ten and second nationally in yards per carry (8.6), and third all-time in single-season yards per carry in program history. He was also named Third Team All-Big Ten in 2020.
Gaziano was originally signed by the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He played in 21 games in three seasons with the Chargers (2020-22) and recorded 22 tackles (14 solo), four quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, one pass defensed and 1.0 sack. In March 2023, Gaziano signed a one-year deal with the Falcons and saw action in two games. Gaziano joined the Jaguars in 2024 as an unrestricted free agent, signing with the team’s practice squad in August. The Scituate, Mass., native played collegiately at Northwestern University (2015-19), where he appeared in 52 games and recorded 153 tackles (100 solo), 48.5 tackles for loss, 30.0 sacks, 15 passes defensed, 10 forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. In his final season he earned first-team All-Big Ten honors. His 30.0 career sacks set the all-time record for Northwestern University.
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