Liam Coen reverses course to take Jaguars job
Is it any wonder the Jacksonville Jaguars are having their issues these days? It’s a franchise that reached the AFC title game in 2017 and has struggled since. Recently, head coach Doug Pederson was given the pink slip after three seasons. It appeared that Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator Liam Coen was ready to take over, but he changed his mind and opted to remain in Tampa.
Then came news on Wednesday via owner Shad Khan regarding the team’s general manager position:
“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. Trent leaves us with my deepest appreciation for his efforts over the past five seasons. Ethan Waugh will serve as interim general manager and play an important role, with others, as we continue the process of interviewing candidates to serve as our new head coach. I am deeply committed to building a winner here in Jacksonville and look forward to introducing a new head coach who will make that happen for our players and fans alike.”
Which brings us to …
Jacksonville gets its man
Baalke's dismissal came as somewhat of a surprise. In another twist, it appears that the Bucs’ OC this past season is back on board with the Jaguars.
Coen will be the Jaguars’ fourth different head coach in five years. In 2021, Urban Meyer was hired to resurrect a struggling franchise. Due to numerous factors, he was dismissed after 13 games and a 2-11 record. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell took over for the final four weeks. Pederson was hired in 2022 and in three seasons, the team really had its ups and downs. They won the AFC South his first year, as well as a playoff game. However, the club owns a disturbing 5-18 in its last 23 games after an 8-3 start in 2023.
So where does that leave the reigning NFC South champions? Byron Leftwich was the club’s offensive coordinator from 2019-22. Former Seahawks’ assistant Dave Canales took over in 2023 after Leftwich was dismissed. He attracted a lot of attention due to his work with quarterback Baker Mayfield. Last offseason, he became the Carolina Panthers’ newest sideline leader.
Coen bounced back and forth between the Los Angeles Rams and University of Kentucky over a six-year span before taking over for Canales in Tampa. In 2024, only three teams in the league totaled more points than the Buccaneers (502), who finished third in the NFL in total offense. Now he’s with the Jaguars, meaning that come 2025, the Bucs will have a fourth different offensive coordinator in as many seasons.