It all seemed like a done deal. Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen was going to take the next, logical step and become an NFL head coach after just 1 brilliant season running Tampa Bay’s offense.

Not so fast.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on January 22 that Coen was spurning the Jacksonville Jaguars to stay in Tampa Bay and become one of the NFL’s highest paid coordinators and get 1 more season running one of the NFL’s most high octane offenses after helping quarterback Baker Mayfield have a career year in 2024.

“Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen is taking himself out of the running for the Jaguars’ head coaching job to stay in Tampa on a new contract that now will place him amongst the highest-paid coordinators in the NFL, per sources,” Schefter wrote on his official X account on January 22. “Bucs are keeping their OC.”

The Jaguars formally requested an interview with Coen on January 7 and he had a second interview scheduled for this week.

On January 21,  Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported the Buccaneers were operating under the belief Coen would be offered the Jacksonville job.

According to Front Office Sports, the 2 highest paid offensive coordinators in the NFL were Todd Monken of the Baltimore Ravens and Mike Kafka of the New York Giants at approximately $3 million per year.