Liam Coen petty war continues as Bucs deny ex-OC’s interview requests
By Lior Lampert
Liam Coen is trying to put his graceless departure from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the rearview mirror, though they ostensibly won't let him.
The Bucs attempted to keep Coen in Tampa Bay with a contract that made him the NFL's highest-paid coordinator, which worked -- briefly. However, after initially spurning the opportunity, he decided to become the eighth head coach in Jacksonville Jaguars franchise history.
Coen leaving isn't what riled up the Bucs. It's a reality the team was reportedly "bracing for." Yet, how he and the Jaguars snuck around and secretly conducted business irked many within the Tampa Bay organization. Subsequently, the 39-year-old created enemies throughout the process, hampering his ability to build a coaching staff in Jacksonville.
No favors: Buccaneers blocked Jacksonville’s request to interview its assistant offensive line coach, Brian Picucci, who left Kentucky with Liam Coen to go to Tampa. Jags were able to hire Coen, but not Picucci.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 31, 2025
The #Jaguars requested to interview #Bucs offensive line coach Kevin Carberry for a similar role but were blocked by Tampa Bay, per sources.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 30, 2025
New head coach Liam Coen, former Bucs OC, had success with Carberry last year and looked into bringing him along.
Liam Coen petty war continues as Bucs deny ex-OC’s interview requests
Per ESPN, the Buccaneers rejected Jacksonville's requests to interview offensive line and assistant offensive line coaches Kevin Carberry and Brian Picucci. Following an abrupt, promise-breaking split, Tampa Bay is clapping back at Coen and the Jags.
Tampa Bay's actions signal there are still some hard feelings regarding the Coen-Jaguars partnership. The Bucs are retaliating against Jacksonville and their ex-play-caller, blocking them from poaching two additional coaches.
2024 marked Carberry and Picucci's inaugural campaigns in Tampa Bay, respectively. The former has built a reputation for helping quarterbacks operate with a clean pocket, including stints with the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders and New Orleans Saints. Meanwhile, the latter notably followed Coen from the collegiate ranks at Kentucky to the Bucs and has seemingly carved out a place for himself.
According to Tampa Bay's team website, Picucci has 29 years of coaching experience. Interestingly, he was on the sidelines at the University of Massachusetts during Coen's days as a Minuteman quarterback. His prior pro-level tenure was with the Detroit Lions under Matt Patricia's tutelage.
As a first-time head coach, Coen desires to surround himself with seasoned individuals with whom he already has a rapport. His pursuit of Carberry and Picucci is a testament to that notion. Alas, he burned bridges in Tampa Bay and the lingering tension is impacting the Jags' hiring process.
feed