When it rains, it pours—or so it seems, in Jacksonville these days. The NFL postseason is on. And so is the surrounding drama. The Jaguars’ offseason saga has taken another dramatic turn. An OC of prominence is suddenly back on their radar. Jacksonville has now gone from losing one of their top coaching candidates to suddenly being back in the running for him. But wait, wasn’t Liam Coen locked in with his current team on a record-breaking deal? That’s what everyone thought—until he started ghosting them.
Tampa Bay OC Liam Coen reportedly agreed to an extension with the Buccaneers. It would have made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid coordinators. However, he was in Jacksonville for a second interview to discuss their head coaching vacancy after just a day on Jan 23. The Bucs couldn’t even reach Coen or his representatives, according to Adam Schefter. Coen insists he informed Bucs head coach Todd Bowles about his Jacksonville plans. But the team paints a different picture. Confusion reigns as the Jaguars appear to be pulling all stops to bring Coen on board.
The Jaguars’ desperation isn’t surprising. Team owner Shahid Khan started cleaning house after a dismal 4-13 season. He fired head coach Doug Pederson. Khan initially spared GM Trent Baalke. But his dismissal came on January 23rd. This move aims to attract Coen, as many see it. Khan’s decision reflects the franchise’s urgency to overhaul its leadership.
The opportunity to step into a head coaching role is tantalizing for Coen. He transformed the Buccaneers‘ offense in 2024. It ranked third in total offense and fourth in scoring. Baker Mayfield thrived under Coen. He posted career highs in passing yards (4,500) and touchdowns (41). To make things better, he also boasted a 71.4% completion rate. “Liam has done an incredible job,” Mayfield said earlier this month. He added…
“It’s the influence he’s had throughout all the guys teaching the game of football… teaching the details of why we’re doing certain things, why we have certain plays alerted or canned… And he does a great job of that, and then calling the plays with player strengths—that’s what good OCs do. So he’s done an unbelievable job.” Jacksonville’s struggling offense ranked 25th in scoring. And they clearly need that magic touch.
And here’s the twist—Coen hasn’t signed his Buccaneers extension yet.
Liam Coen’s renewed interest in Jacksonville came as a shock. But the firing of Baalke might explain it. Baalke’s tenure as GM was marked by mediocrity. They had a 25-43 record over four seasons. His dismissal signals Khan’s willingness to reshape the Jaguars’ future. “Following several discussions with Trent Baalke this week, we both arrived at the conclusion that [it] is in our mutual best interests to respectfully separate, effective immediately,” Khan said after the firing.
However, Jacksonville’s timing is questionable. Top coaching options like Ben Johnson (hired by the Bears) and Aaron Glenn (now Jets head coach) were already off the table. Coen’s availability gives the Jaguars one last shot at landing a star play-caller.
Still, the Buccaneers remain hopeful. They haven’t announced Coen’s departure. They reportedly have a hefty contract offer (complete details of which aren’t available) on the table. And Tampa Bay might not give up easily. Meanwhile, Jacksonville is perhaps preparing to push harder.
via Imago
As Liam Coen weighs his options, the Jaguars’ future hangs in the balance. Will Khan’s gamble on firing Baalke pay off? Or will Coen double down on his commitment to Tampa Bay?
The clock is ticking. Jacksonville can’t really afford another misstep. As the dust settles, one thing is clear—this saga is far from over.
