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01/24 13:32 CST Jaguars hire Bucs OC Liam Coen as head coach after making
necessary moves
Jaguars hire Bucs OC Liam Coen as head coach after making necessary moves
By MARK LONG
AP Pro Football Writer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) --- The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Tampa Bay offensive
coordinator Liam Coen as the eighth head coach in franchise history Friday,
capping a covert operation that included owner Shad Khan moving on from general
manager Trent Baalke and Coen reversing course with the Buccaneers.
The sides officially agreed to terms a day after Coen called Bucs coach Todd
Bowles and others to tell them he planned to sign with Jacksonville.
"To repeat my message earlier this week, I am deeply committed to building a
winner here in Jacksonville," Khan said in a statement. "I also believe in
being judged by action, not words. That's why I took swift and decisive action
this week to hire Liam Coen as the new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars."
How Khan made it happen will be remembered as one of the wildest coaching
searches in NFL history.
Khan surprisingly fired Baalke on Wednesday to clear a path for Coen to wind up
in Jacksonville. Coen initially declined an in-person interview with the
Jaguars because of Baalke, a 60-year-old GM who has a less-than-ideal
reputation in league circles and talked Khan into firing Super Bowl-winning
coach Doug Pederson following his third season in Jacksonville.
Coen instead agreed to a new, three-year contract with Tampa Bay that would
have made him the NFL's highest-paid coordinator, although it was contingent on
him not taking a second interview with the Jags. But Coen never showed up to
sign the deal --- he ghosted his Tampa colleagues for hours --- and secretly
traveled to Jacksonville to meet with Khan, interim general manager Ethan
Waugh, Hall of Fame left tackle Tony Boselli and others Thursday.
Jacksonville met with Coen after a sit-down with former Las Vegas defensive
coordinator Patrick Graham, a second interview that was needed to satisfy the
NFL's Rooney Rule policy.
Coen left Jacksonville without a deal, but everyone considered it was done.
It had been trending that way for days. Coen crushed his virtual interview with
Khan last week and seemed to be the owner's top choice, especially after
Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson took the Chicago job.
But Baalke proved to be a roadblock, one Khan realized he needed to remove to
secure an up-and-coming offensive mind to pair with promising quarterback
Trevor Lawrence and standout receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for the foreseeable
future. And anyone questioning Khan's commitment to winning in Jacksonville
should look at his behind-the-scenes efforts to get Coen.
"Becoming the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars is an opportunity of a
lifetime, and one that I am going to run with to instill a championship culture
and winning tradition here in Duval," Coen said in a statement.
Khan said earlier this month he wanted a head coach who would bring more
creativity to Jacksonville, saying "being unpredictable is I think modern
football, and we have to be able to show that on the field."
The 39-year-old Coen was the architect of one of Tampa Bay's most productive
offenses in its history in 2024. The Buccaneers ranked third in the NFL in
yards (399.6 per game) and fourth in points (29.5).
Coen became the first NFL coordinator in at least the last 25 years to average
more than 28 points a game, average more than 6 yards a play, convert more than
50% of the time on third down and score touchdowns 65% of the time in the red
zone. Tampa Bay was the first in nearly 800 offenses since 2000 to accomplish
the feat.
He was so impressive with veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield and rookie running
back Bucky Irving this season that even diehard Bucs fans suggested moving the
61-year-old Bowles into another role and handing the reins to Coen to keep him
in Tampa.
Instead, Coen relocated four hours north to Jacksonville.
Some obvious questions to be answered next: What kind of coach/GM structure
will Khan employ moving forward? Will Waugh stick around as GM or will Coen
bring in his own guy? Will Khan hire an executive vice president --- Boselli
would make sense --- to help the first-time head coach?
Regardless, the Jaguars believe they had one of the best NFL jobs available ---
especially with Baalke out of the picture.
They have a young quarterback (Lawrence), a budding star at receiver (Thomas),
a few defensive building blocks (cornerback Tyson Campbell and pass rushers
Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen), a relatively new practice facility, a $1.4
billion stadium renovation upcoming and a hands-off owner with deep pockets.
They have the fifth overall draft pick in April and roughly $50 million in
salary cap space for 2025, play in arguably the NFL's weakest division (AFC
South) and work in a state with plenty of sunshine and no income tax. They also
went 3-10 in one-score games, an indication it could be a quick fix.
It's up to Coen to make it happen.
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