In a stunning turn of events, the Jacksonville Jaguars have hired Liam Coen as their new head coach, mere hours after he initially declined to even interview for the position. The move comes in the wake of the team parting ways with embattled general manager Trent Baalke, a development that apparently changed Coen’s mind about considering the job.
From Rejection to Acceptance
Coen, who spent the 2024 season as the offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, had been scheduled to meet with the Jaguars on Wednesday regarding their head coaching vacancy. However, he abruptly canceled that interview and instead accepted a contract extension and raise from the Bucs that would have made him the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL.
But everything changed when Jacksonville and Baalke mutually agreed to part ways later that same day. The Jaguars reached back out to Coen, asking him to reconsider. This time, he agreed to take the meeting. Negotiations stretched into Thursday evening before Coen ultimately accepted the job, informing a surely stunned Buccaneers organization of his decision.
Coen did an incredible job… calling plays to his players’ strengths, that’s what good offensive coordinators do.
– Baker Mayfield on Liam Coen
Welcome to Duval
So who exactly are the Jaguars getting in their new head coach? Coen comes from the Sean McVay coaching tree, having spent four seasons under the Los Angeles Rams head coach where he credits McVay with teaching him the intricacies of play-calling and designing a potent offense.
In his lone season running the Bucs offense, Coen helped quarterback Baker Mayfield set career highs in completions, passing yards and touchdowns. He also transformed Tampa Bay’s rushing attack from the worst in the league to a top-five unit. The Bucs were the only team to rank in the top five in both passing and rushing offense in 2024.
Restoring the Roar
Coen inherits a Jacksonville team coming off a bitterly disappointing 4-13 season, having underachieved in all facets. His top priority will be getting former No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence back on track after the quarterback seemed to regress mightily in 2024.
The Jaguars will also need to nail the upcoming 2025 draft, possibly targeting offensive weapons to support Lawrence with the fifth overall pick they earned with last season’s struggles. And of course, the team’s next general manager will play a vital role in shaping the roster Coen has to work with.
The Jags fired Trent Baalke because they believed Coen wouldn’t go there otherwise. This is the second hiring cycle we’ve heard candidates not wanting to go there because of him.
– Dan Graziano on the Jaguars’ unorthodox hiring process
The Road Ahead
The Jaguars are now on their fourth head coach in the past six years, a sign of the franchise’s instability during that stretch. Coen will be tasked with changing that, bringing a steadying presence and a dynamic offensive system with him from Tampa.
- Priority #1: Unlocking Trevor Lawrence’s potential
- Building a more physical, punishing offensive line and run game
- Finding a GM who shares Coen’s vision for the roster
If Coen can check those boxes, the Jaguars may finally be able to claw their way out of the AFC South cellar they’ve inhabited for far too long. It’s a big if, but Liam Coen has made a career out of maximizing the talent around him. Jacksonville is betting big that he can do the same for a franchise in dire need of a renaissance.
