Liam Coen

Robert Saleh Stood As Jaguars’ Liam Coen Backup Plan?

January 28th, 2025 at 4:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Robert Saleh is back in San Francisco, agreeing to rejoin the 49ers’ staff as defensive coordinator. This role launched Saleh into a top HC candidate by 2021, and although his Jets stay did not go well, he gained considerable interview seasoning on what was deemed a weak market this year.

The Cowboys, Raiders and Jaguars met with Saleh. Jacksonville had scheduled two meetings with the four-year New York HC, but after it became clear Liam Coen was the team’s preferred choice, Saleh and the Jags pressed pause on a second interview that never happened. Coen maneuvered his way into a favorable deal in Jacksonville, where the new HC will have significant input into the team’s GM hire.

Had Coen stuck with his agreement to stay with the Buccaneers, Saleh may have been set for another reunion. The Jaguars were prepared to go with Saleh had Coen stayed in Tampa, a GM informed the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. This would have brought Saleh back to the team that employed him as linebackers coach under Gus Bradley.

The Jets’ freefall after Saleh’s October firing reflected well on the head coach, as well as it could on a leader that did not post a .500 season. His two 7-10 slates with Zach Wilson as the primary QB, before a Broncos trade dropped the former No. 2 pick to the third-string tier, also aged well. Saleh could well find himself back on the HC radar in 2026, should he stabilize the 49ers’ defense. It is also interesting the Jags had Saleh positioned above Patrick Graham. The three-year Raiders DC did meet twice with the Jags, and he has also since met about the DC job. This would make it rather surprising if Graham is not Coen’s pick to become DC, but it does not appear he was a true threat to be the team’s head coach.

Coen’s maneuvering to Jacksonville ruffled feathers in Tampa, as he avoided calls from prominent Bucs staffers — Jason Licht, Todd Bowles and Mike Greenberg among them — on the day he was supposed to sign an extension. Coen had delayed the signing, as he had informed the Jaguars he was back in after they fired Trent Baalke. As for the GM of his previous team, the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud notes Licht is “furious” with how Coen left. Coen did express remorse for how he left the Bucs but noted he spoke with Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and others on offense to inform them he was leaving for Jacksonville. Mayfield offered encouraging words to Coen on his way out, the new Jags HC revealed.

Shad Khan has not determined who Baalke’s successor will be, but he said Tuesday that former Jags tackle Tony Boselli will have a role with the franchise moving forward. Khan confirmed the 52-year-old Hall of Famer was part of the team’s HC search. Coming into the league as the Jaguars’ first draftee (in 1995), Boselli played in a golden era for left tackles. Walter Jones, Jonathan Ogden and Orlando Pace beat Boselli to the Hall of Fame, as injury trouble cut Boselli’s career short. But he earned first-team All-Pro recognition from 1997-99. He will now hold an undetermined role with the team.

Trent Baalke’s Presence Affected Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn’s Jaguars Interest

January 27th, 2025 at 11:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Liam Coen‘s about-face regarding the Jaguars confirmed what most had assumed about that job. Trent Baalke‘s presence, reported to be an issue for some HC candidates, had impeded this Jags search. The team was believed to have been “embarrassed” by Coen initially passing on a second interview.

Shad Khan then fired Baalke more than two weeks after canning Doug Pederson. The Jaguars will soon turn their attention to replacing him, but it is worth wondering what would have happened had the team done what many expected and fired Baalke along with Pederson. This particular “what if?” impacted the top offense-oriented candidate in this year’s hiring cycle.

Rumored to be interested in the Jaguars’ job, Ben Johnson received aggressive interest from the team. When he turned down the Jaguars to accept a Bears HC offer, the three-year Lions OC indeed expressed reservations about the team’s front office setup. Johnson may have been leery about signing on with Baalke, as Pederson was rumored to be back in 2022, but SI.com’s Albert Breer indicates Johnson may not have been ready to demand Baalke be fired in order to take over in Jacksonville. He then committed to Chicago, which is also keeping its GM — Ryan Poles — on staff.

The Jags discussed a big-money offer with Johnson, Breer adds, and earlier reports that Khan being willing to boot Baalke for the right HC candidate — despite giving Baalke the keys to this coaching search — certainly proved accurate. Before moving on from Baalke, Khan gave Johnson’s camp the impression he would be willing to do so, Breer adds. Johnson committed to the Bears two days before the Jaguars canned Baalke.

It is not known how serious the Jaguars were on Aaron Glenn, beyond the parties’ virtual interview January 11, but Breer notes that the four-year Lions DC expressed interest in bringing along a personnel staffer had he landed the Jacksonville gig. It is unclear who Glenn wanted to add in Jacksonville, but Baalke balked at this setup due to how it would impact his top lieutenant, senior personnel exec Tom Gamble. Khan had already spoken of beefing up his front office, and the upcoming GM hire may well move on from a prominent Baalke lieutenant anyway. Glenn signed on with the Jets on the same day Coen had informed the Jags he was out.

Khan keeping Baalke more than two weeks after Black Monday appears to have been a blunder. The owner allowing an embattled GM to make critical calls during the hiring period did not align with the team’s future. Baalke certainly could have steered the search toward a direction in which the incoming head coach would work with him rather than guide it to a candidate who wanted his own GM. In the end, the organization will pay up for Coen, doing so despite the one-and-done Buccaneers OC not being a finalist anywhere else. Coen, of course, had committed to staying in Tampa as OC before big Jags promises lured him back into that race.

Coen has the rare opportunity, as a first-time HC, to essentially pick a GM; he also signed a five-year contract believed to be worth Johnson-level money. Coen fared much better with the Bucs than he did with the Rams, when an injury-plagued offense plummeted to last in yardage in 2022. After going back to Kentucky, the two-time Wildcats OC had the Bucs’ offense third in yardage and fourth in scoring. Coen helping Baker Mayfield sustain his Dave Canales-overseen rebound played the lead role in him obtaining rare leverage; the Jaguars’ present state didn’t hurt matters, either.

As expected, Coen confirmed Monday he will call plays in Jacksonville. This was a sore spot during Pederson’s stay, as the two-time HC insisted — despite reported Baalke pushback — OC Press Taylor stay in that role. Taylor, whose presence caused issues on Pederson’s way out in Philly as well, was the Jags’ primary play-caller in 2023 and ’24. Although Trevor Lawrence‘s injuries impacted the team in that span, the Jags plummeted to 26th in scoring offense this season.

Additionally, the Jags are retaining special teams coordinator Heath Farwell. Hired in Pederson’s first offseason in charge, Farwell agreed to a three-year deal, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco notes. A 10-year NFL player, Farwell has been an ST coordinator since 2019. He in that role with the Bills for three seasons and has been an NFL assistant since 2016.

Liam Coen ‘Pushing Hard’ For Mike Greenberg To Become Jaguars GM?

January 27th, 2025 at 10:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Already losing one of their assistant GMs, via John Spytek‘s Raiders agreement, the Buccaneers may have one more search to sweat out. Considering the only team still looking is the one that poached Liam Coen to complete an awkward Bucs breakup, it might not be a smooth process.

The Bucs are not expected to allow any contracted assistants to make lateral moves and join Coen in Jacksonville, but they would not be able to block a coordinator interview or a GM meeting involving a promotion. This may bring popular GM candidate Mike Greenberg back into the picture soon. Coen is believed to be eyeing his short-lived Tampa coworker.

The new Jaguars HC is “pushing hard” to bring Greenberg over from Tampa, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes. The matter of Greenberg wanting this job, per Pauline, may be a potential issue. Thus far, no interview requests have gone out. But with Coen hired, the Jags need a front office boss to replace Baalke. Of course, Coen is expected to have a significant say in this process; that could then make this a less powerful GM job once the dust settles.

Coen having the opportunity to drive a GM search despite having only been an NFL coordinator for two seasons, on-and-off stints with the two nonconsecutive Kentucky OC seasons sandwiched in, is unusual. First-time HCs are not regularly given this opportunity, but with the Jags making a major change — the belated Baalke firing — in order to convince Coen to take a second interview and thus sign on, the 2024 Bucs OC pounced on an opportunity to exert leverage.

Greenberg was believed to be one of the Bucs power brokers who attempted to reach Coen during the play-caller’s off-grid stretch on his way out of Tampa. After agreeing to an extension to stay with the Bucs, Coen backtracked once the Jags fired Baalke. The Jags wanted Coen to keep his interview schedule private, allowing the team to interview Patrick Graham and comply with the Rooney Rule, and this led to him dodging calls from Greenberg and Bucs GM Jason Licht. Although Coen is believed to have eventually told Todd Bowles what he was up to, this was far from a smooth exit. On that note, it would be interesting if Greenberg — a 15-year Bucs staffer — would consider jumping ship given the way Coen left town.

Greenberg met with the Jets during their recent search and met about the Panthers’ vacancy last year. Instrumental in helping the Bucs maneuver to land Tom Brady and then rearm for a Super Bowl LV title defense by ensuring the entire starting lineup returned, Greenberg helped the Bucs pay the likes of Mike Evans, Baker Mayfield, Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tristan Wirfs this past offseason. Losing Spytek and Greenberg in the same offseason would deal a blow to the Bucs, but it is far from certain if the latter would follow Coen after one year together. GMs rarely receive second chances, so identifying the right fit is paramount for rising execs.

NFC Coaching Rumors: Bucs, Bowles, Kafka, Martindale, Lions, Falcons, Cardinals

January 27th, 2025 at 9:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Liam Coen‘s Buccaneers divorce has become one of the most memorable staff separations in recent years. In addition to the Bucs’ OC search, multiple additional fallout items have emerged from Coen backtracking on an extension agreement to accept the Jaguars’ HC offer. Some around the league are now wondering how willing coordinator candidates will be to join up with Todd Bowles, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones writes. Bowles has evaded firing rumors for multiple seasons, though it was quieter on that front in 2024. While it is a bit odd that he continues to win division titles (3-for-3 in that regard), the rumors about the veteran HC’s murky status in Tampa persist.

On that note, Jones adds the Bucs should not be expected to let any coaches out of their contracts to follow Coen to Jacksonville. Bowles, Jason Licht and assistant GM Mike Greenberg attempted to reach Coen on Thursday, when he was supposed to sign his Bucs extension. Coen had already delayed the signing. The one-and-done Tampa Bay OC had even fibbed about a personal matter to continue his Jags negotiations, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicated during a Pat McAfee Show appearance the Bucs were plenty irked about his exit process.

Here is the latest from the NFC side of the coaching carousel:

The Bucs have completed four interviews with outside candidates, but an internal Coen replacement option has surfaced as well. Pass-game coordinator Josh Grizzard is on the radar to be promoted, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo notes. Grizzard, 34, has been in the NFL since 2017 and joined Bowles’ staff to work under Coen. The Bucs thought they had avoided a scenario in which they use a fourth OC in four seasons, via the Coen agreement, and Mayfield will now have a sixth play-caller since the 2021 campaign. An internal promotion would help ensure some familiarity.
Mike Kafka is still in the running for the Saints‘ HC job, though Kellen Moore and Mike McCarthy may be more likely to land the job. If the Giants’ OC were to pull an upset and jump from a 3-14 team to another club’s top coaching job, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes he would be expected to bring Wink Martindale with him as DC. Kafka and Martindale worked together in New York for two seasons, before the latter’s explosive 2024 exit. Martindale, who spent the 2024 season as Michigan’s DC, interviewed for the Colts and Falcons’ DC jobs this month.
Acting swiftly to fill the void created when Kelvin Sheppard made the jump to replace Aaron Glenn, the Lions are elevating another recent NFL linebacker. Detroit will promote Shaun Dion Hamilton to its LBs coaching post, 247Sports.com’s Matt Zenitz tweets. Hamilton attempted to make the Lions’ active roster in 2022 but instead found a job on their coaching staff. Dan Campbell hired Hamilton, an ex-Washington defender, as an assistant. He moved up to assistant LBs coach in 2023, and at 29, is climbing the ladder again.
The Falcons are making two hires for Jeff Ulbrich‘s defensive staff. They added Mike Rutenberg as pass-game coordinator and Nate Ollie as D-line coach. Rutenberg will follow Ulbrich from the Jets, having coached their linebackers for four seasons. The Robert Saleh hire oversaw the development of Quincy Williams from waiver claim to All-Pro, while Ollie was also on Saleh’s first Jets staff. The Colts hired him as D-line coach in 2022, and he landed with the Texans as assistant D-line coach last year.
The Cardinals are losing their linebackers coach to a college coordinator role. Virginia Tech hired Sam Siefkes to be its next DC. Jonathan Gannon had hired Siefkes after two years as a Vikings assistant. Prior to that, he had served in the college ranks, heading up Wofford’s defense. Additionally in Arizona, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes the team is not bringing back D-line coach Derrick LeBlanc. On the Dolphins’ staff before heading to Arizona in 2023, LeBlanc had spent nearly two decades at the college level.

Liam Coen Fallout: Jags, Bucs, Baalke, Bowles, Contract, Glazers, Rooney Rule

January 24th, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Buccaneers become the first team to lose their offensive coordinator in back-to-back years since the 2013-14 Ravens, that development came after it initially looked like the NFC South team had reached an agreement to retain Liam Coen. A Jaguars front office decision certainly looks to have changed Coen’s plans.

When the Jaguars fired Trent Baalke not long after Coen declined a second interview, the AFC South club contacted its top candidate and asked he would reconsider in light of the GM shakeup, according to ESPN.com. Baalke’s presence was believed to be a deterrent for certain coaching candidates this year, and while Coen was among them, ESPN’s Michael DiRocco indicates the GM was not the main reason Coen initially declined a Jags second meeting. That said, Coen’s Wednesday call “embarrassed” the Jaguars, who abruptly changed course as a result.

Upon firing Doug Pederson on Jan. 6, Shad Khan called a full-on overhaul — which a Baalke ouster would have meant — “suicide” for the organization. Yet, barely two weeks later, he was gone. The Jags had seen Ben Johnson express issues with their setup, as Baalke was running a search that could have ended with him out the door — depending on the hire. That undoubtedly would have influenced the four-year Jags GM to go in certain, safe directions. Instead, he is out and Coen will now have a major say in who replaces the embattled exec.

Coen told GM Jason Licht he sought a record-breaking OC sum to stay in charge on offense, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes, with Fox Sports’ Greg Auman indicating the Bucs were prepared to pay him would close to $4.5MM per year. We heard Wednesday the number would have been in the Vic Fangio neighborhood among top coordinator salaries. Coen will make much more with the Jags, who have been tied to authorizing “Johnson-level money.” Bucs ownership approved Coen’s raise but did not with to continue a negotiating battle with their one-year OC, Breer adds. Though, the sides were not done talking money.

The initial Tampa Bay offer emerged before Coen’s virtual interview with the Jaguars, which the Glazer family encouraged him to take. Bucs ownership, however, said its offer to Coen was contingent on him not taking a second Jaguars interview. (However, even had Coen signed a Bucs contract, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio adds NFL rules would have prevented the Bucs from blocking any further Jags meetings.)

Certainly realizing he had a great chance at the Jags job, Coen again asked the Bucs for more money. Tampa Bay ownership responded, per Breer, by confirming no additional raise would come. Although the Bucs wanted a Coen answer on their initial proposal by Monday, he stalled until Wednesday. During that wait, a report indicated the Bucs were prepared to lose Coen. Though, this was all before the Jags’ Baalke decision. Baalke’s previous presence in Jacksonville looks to have kept Tampa Bay’s offer to Coen viable.

Coen, 39, informed the Bucs he was staying and would sign an extension. That did not deter the Jags, who were the only team believed to be seriously considering Coen. This would have stood to limit Coen’s leverage. After all, he has not stayed with the same employer since the 2018-20 seasons, his first stint with the Rams, and his Rams OC stay did not go well in 2022. The Cowboys, Raiders and Saints did not interview Coen. But the Bucs talks doubled as his other option, strengthening his stance in this Florida battle.

Reports Thursday indicated the Bucs were unable to reach Coen, who was to sign the deal Wednesday afternoon, but he asked Licht if he could instead do so Thursday. By Thursday morning, the Bucs had not heard from him. Assistant GM Mike Greenberg contacted Coen about the contract of another offensive assistant. That call went unanswered, as did Licht and Todd Bowles efforts to reach the 2024 Bucs OC, per Breer, who adds Coen’s agent then informed the Bucs his client was dealing with a personal matter. After more Bucs attempts to reach Coen failed, he told Bowles of the personal matter Thursday afternoon while also informing his boss he was still considering the Jacksonville job. A Jags source then tipped off the Bucs Coen was in Jacksonville.

This component does not exactly make Coen’s handling of the situation look great, though Breer indicates the Jags wanted Coen to keep his belated Duval County visit secret. But he has successfully moved up the coaching ladder — albeit in a roundabout manner — with the extraordinarily rare chance as a rookie HC to effectively choose his GM. Kyle Shanahan had this opportunity in 2017, but he had certainly climbed to a higher NFL perch by the time the 49ers gave him that power. Coen is a two-time NFL OC, though the ex-Sean McVay hire only has two years on the job (and two more in college, at Kentucky).

Coen’s delay also gave the Jaguars the chance to meet the Rooney Rule requirement. They had interviewed multiple minority candidates already, but only one of those meetings (Robert Saleh‘s) was in-person. While Coen was negotiating, the Jags met with Raiders DC Patrick Graham, who could have canceled his meeting had word of the Coen talks leaked.

This also does not shine a good light on Jacksonville’s search, but this is hardly the only team to use the Rooney Rule as a box to check rather than giving strong consideration to hiring a minority candidate. Saleh’s second interview never happened, as the Coen matter moved toward the goal line, and the former is now back with the 49ers as DC.

Despite Coen’s uneven resume, many within the Bucs organization viewed him as HC-ready, ESPN.com’s Jeff Darlington tweets. In fact, Darlington adds that a scenario in which the team fired Bowles and promoted Coen was believed to have been in play if Week 18 had ended without a playoff qualification. This would have reminded of the Bucs’ decision to fire Lovie Smith and promote his OC (Dirk Koetter) in 2017. The Bucs also promoted from within to fill their current HC job, with Bruce Arians‘ resignation elevating Bowles, who is now looking for a new play-caller yet again.

Bowles has dodged firing rumors for years now, having mounted charges to the NFC South title in each of the past two after hanging on to secure the Bucs a playoff home game in Tom Brady‘s final season. The Bowles part of this messy divorce makes his status worth monitoring next season, but for now, he will set his sights on another OC search.

Jaguars Hire Liam Coen As HC

January 23rd, 2025 at 11:16pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a stunning turn of events, it sounds like Liam Coen is destined for Jacksonville. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Coen is expected to be named as the next head coach of the Jaguars. Albert Breer of TheMMQB adds to this report, stating that the two sides have a verbal agreement in place. According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Coen has already informed the Buccaneers that he’ll be taking the job in Jacksonville.

The official announcement has now been made, with Russini noting that Coen went back home to Tampa Bay while his representatives finalized details with the Jaguars. Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reported earlier this evening that the two sides were in “active negotiations.” This will be a five-year deal, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

It was only 36 hours ago that we learned Coen was backing out of the sweepstakes to stick around as the Buccaneers offensive coordinator. According to Breer, Tampa Bay was handing the coach an extension that would make him the highest-paid coordinator in NFL history. Coen would also get to stick in a familiar spot, would get to continue guiding Baker Mayfield‘s revival, and would be positioned to enter the head coaching cycle next offseason.

Things rapidly changed. The Jaguars fired Trent Baalke following reports that the GM was a deterrent to HC candidates. Following that development, it didn’t take long for Coen to reenter the conversation, as the coach reportedly took a secret trip to Jacksonville to meet with Jaguars leadership in person. We heard earlier tonight that the Jaguars were persistent in their attempts to get Coen to reconsider, and Russini says ownership called the coach directly to explain that they’d let him pick the next general manager while also paying him “Ben Johnson-level money.”

That last-ditch effort has apparently worked, as Coen is all but certain to be named the Jaguars next head coach. The offensive coordinator recently emerged as the favorite for the position after the team’s initial target, Johnson, landed with the Bears. Shad Kahn wasn’t going to let another candidate get away, especially after the Jaguars had to pivot off top option Byron Leftwich in 2022.

During that last hiring cycle, the team ended up opting for Doug Pederson, who lasted only three seasons in Jacksonville. While the Jaguars brought in a number of offensive and defensive coaches during their active search, it was believed that the organization was prioritizing a coach who could get the most out of franchise QB Trevor Lawrence.

Coen has recently garnered a reputation as someone who can maximize their QB, as he helped guide Mayfield to a career-best season in 2024. That showing also helped put Coen back on the head coaching radar following a few bumps with the Rams and Kentucky. This head coaching job will now represent Coen’s sixth unique gig in the past six years, and both the coach and the Jaguars are surely hoping he’ll be sticking around for the long-term.

Liam Coen Reenters Jaguars’ HC Mix; Deal Close?

January 23rd, 2025 at 5:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Liam Coen agreed to a Buccaneers extension, the Jaguars’ update to their front office setup looks to have changed the equation. Coen is back in the mix for the Jags, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

The Tampa Bay OC backed out of a second Jacksonville interview Wednesday; hours later, the Jags fired GM Trent Baalke. With Baalke gone, Coen appears more interested in the job. He is back on the radar, joining Robert Saleh, Patrick Graham and hopeful second interviewees Joe Brady and Kellen Moore in this search. With Coen back in play, it will be interesting to see if the Jags stick around to meet with Brady and Moore or if the former favorite lands a deal before then.

The Bucs had agreed on a raise for Coen to stay for a second season, but NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo connects the Baalke development to the young candidate being more interested in the job. Reports earlier this month indicated Baalke’s presence had turned off Jags HC candidates, and Coen almost definitely looks to have been among that group. After seeing Ben Johnson choose the Bears and Coen momentarily exit the picture, Shad Khan changed up.

Jacksonville is expected to hire a head coach before settling on a GM search, giving said HC considerable power. That understandably is appealing to Coen, who is huddling up with Jags brass barely 24 hours after initially refusing to do so. Coen is in Jacksonville, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who notes a deal may be close. Coen is only in the mix for the Jags job, but this would keep Brady and Moore in play for the other HC-needy teams.

In addition to the team’s decision to move on from Baalke, it sounds like the Jaguars’ persistence also helped lure Coen back to Jacksonville. Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz says the Jaguars “reached out repeatedly” with the logic that the coach would have to deny their inquiries multiple times. While the Jaguars are considering multiple candidates for the job, it sounds like Coen is the clear favorite. Schultz notes that a deal hasn’t been finalized, but Khan has identified Coen as “his guy.”

Meanwhile, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times says the Buccaneers haven’t spoken with Coen since yesterday afternoon, although that wasn’t due to a lack of trying. The Bucs tried reaching out to their OC but haven’t been able to reach him. Instead of immediately inking a new contract with Tampa Bay, Coen “secretly” traveled to Jacksonville to meet with the Jaguars. While The Athletic’s Diana Russini says the Buccaneers’ multiple calls to Coen have gone unanswered, ESPN’S Adam Schefter reports that Coen reached out to Todd Bowles directly to inform his boss of the renewed interest in the Jaguars job.

Coen’s stint as the Rams offensive coordinator didn’t go as planned, but the coach rehabilitated his image with a strong season in Tampa Bay. The new OC helped guide Baker Mayfield to the strongest season of his career, as the QB tossed 41 touchdown passes — 13 more than his previous career-high mark. As a result, Coen found himself on the head coaching radar, and it sounds like he’s currently in a can’t-lose situation. The coach can either return to a familiar spot in Tampa Bay before reentering the hiring cycle next offseason, or he can join a relatively attractive situation in Jacksonville.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Liam Coen Not Expected To Return To Jaguars HC Mix; Joe Brady, Kellen Moore Still On Radar

January 23rd, 2025 at 12:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

12:16pm: It now appears the Jags will stay with their HC search and conclude it before deciding on a GM. Going coach before GM is not entirely uncommon, but CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones points to the team not beginning a true GM hunt until a coach is in place. It would not surprise to see interview requests go out to execs, but if the team intends on separating the searches entirely, it will be a bit before that step happens.

10:37am: Liam Coen‘s decision to pass on a second Jaguars HC interview, and thus remove himself from consideration for the open job, looks to have been significant. Hours later, Shad Khan reversed course on his plans with Trent Baalke. The veteran GM is out, leaving more questions in Jacksonville.

Baalke’s presence had been seen as a deterrent in the Jaguars’ coaching search. Would removing the GM mean Coen could move back into play? It does not appear that will happen, with the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud reporting the Buccaneers‘ OC is expected to sign his extension today.

Prior to Khan’s decision to boot Baalke, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler noted Bills OC Joe Brady would be a name to watch in light of the Bucs play-caller bowing out. The young assistant impressed in his virtual meeting. Indeed, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds the Jags’ list of second interviews is expected to include Brady and Eagles OC Kellen Moore. As of now, the Jags’ finalists include Robert Saleh and Patrick Graham. Each will conduct their second interviews this week. The Athletic’s Michael Silver initially indicated the search will expand beyond these two.

The prospect of a second Jags run at Coen would make sense, but the retooling organization has some issues to sort out. And Coen may well be eyeing a spot on the 2026 HC carousel rather than seeing where the Jaguars are at GM once they launch a search. A new GM may also be the team’s second priority now, as Bovada’s Josina Anderson indicating the franchise is considering a few scenarios in terms of how to proceed with its HC and GM spots. If nothing else, the Jags may be OK hiring a head coach before a general manager.

Given this year’s remaining candidates, it would be a bit surprising if the Jags gave their next head coach power over a GM. Baalke held roster control following Urban Meyer‘s firing, but it is fairly clear the recently fired GM’s presence was, much like in 2022, not helping attract candidates. Although Khan gave Meyer power in 2021, he had pursued the formerly successful college HC for a while. That experience going so poorly may well influence Khan to keep a traditional power structure post-Baalke, but the Jags are in need of a solution after Coen and Ben Johnson turned them down.

As far as replacing Baalke goes, no known candidates have emerged. The Jets are the other team looking, after the Titans (Mike Borgonzi) and Raiders (John Spytek) have made their choices. Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark appeared the favorite for the Jets’ job, but Trey Brown and Darren Mougey are still in the mix; each will conduct second interviews today. Newmark may be in play for the Jags, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes, but it is not known if a candidate that had been linked to following Johnson to Las Vegas and then join Aaron Glenn in New York would be coveted without the presence of an ex-Lions staffer.

After Baalke’s 2024 extension spree preceded a 4-13 season and a complete overhaul, the Jags are in the unusual spot of having paid a potential franchise QB (Trevor Lawrence) while carrying HC and GM vacancies. The Chargers managed to find good solutions here when in this spot last year, but they had vacancies from the start and used Justin Herbert‘s presence to attract Jim Harbaugh. After Coen and Johnson did not see enough positives about Jacksonville’s situation, will Lawrence help sway Brady or Moore?

Liam Coen Bows Out Of Jaguars’ HC Search, Agrees To Bucs Extension

January 22nd, 2025 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Entering Wednesday as the rumored favorite for the Jaguars’ head coaching job, Liam Coen is prepared to pass. The young offensive coordinator will stay with the Buccaneers.

Coen will sign a new Bucs contract that makes him one of the game’s highest-paid coordinators, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This deal comes with an extension but not a coach-in-waiting clause, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds. Robert Saleh and Patrick Graham remain Jags finalists, but after Coen-to-Jacksonville buzz had steadily built, this could certainly be labeled a setback for the AFC South franchise. The deal is believed to be in the $4.5MM-per-year neighborhood, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud.

Ben Johnson recently showed this path can be effective. The former Lions OC backed away from a potential Panthers hire in 2023 and then informed the Commanders last year he was out of that mix as well. Johnson remained a top candidate and just accepted a Bears offer. Coen’s profile checks in south of Johnson’s, however, and he was only in the mix for the Jags job. While this could be deemed a risk by a coordinator who has yo-yoed between the pro and college ranks this decade, it also could represent hesitancy involving the Jaguars.

Today was to be Coen’s second Jags interview (and first in-person meeting with team brass), but the Stroud reports the Bucs’ OC did not board the plane for Jacksonville. Coen, 39, was negotiating with the Bucs as well. He will stick around and continue to work with Baker Mayfield, after the two enjoyed a promising start that resulted in another NFC South title for the Bucs.

This marks the second time this week a coveted candidate has exited the Jags’ search. Johnson was believed to be considering the Jags (and a Trevor Lawrence partnership), but the high-profile play-caller was not overly thrilled about the franchise’s setup. We heard shortly after Black Monday that the Jags’ decision to retain GM Trent Baalke, who is running their HC search, had influenced some candidates to steer clear. For a second HC cycle, Baalke’s presence appears to be affecting the Jags’ viability as a destination.

In 2022, the Jags appeared close to a deal with Byron Leftwich. Baalke’s presence impacted that search, leading to the Doug Pederson hire. Pederson had also expressed apprehension regarding Baalke, and as last season progressed, the three-year Jags HC was not on good terms with his top coworker. Many expected Baalke to be fired along with Pederson, but Shad Khan retained the polarizing exec. Rumors about Baalke being kicked to another position within the organization emerged, but Johnson and Coen’s decisions may not point to that actually happening.

Coen had been the Rams’ 2022 OC, with that stay sandwiched between two seasons as Kentucky’s play-caller. Helping Will Levis to a breakthrough 2021 season with the Wildcats, Coen did not impress as L.A.’s non-play-calling OC — albeit during an injury-plagued Rams season — and returned to the SEC program in 2023. After the Wildcats again improved under Coen, the Bucs hired him.

Mayfield soon took steps forward this past season, throwing 41 touchdown passes — 13 more than his previous career-high mark — and powered Todd Bowles‘ team to a 10-7 record and a fourth straight division championship. After losing Dave Canales to the Panthers, the Bucs still ranked fourth in scoring offense. This will mark Mayfield’s first instance of play-caller carryover since his 2020-21 Browns seasons.

Graham is slated to interview for the Jacksonville post Thursday, while Saleh is heading to Duval County on Friday. Saleh has a history with the Jags, being their linebackers coach from 2014-16, but has also met with the Cowboys and Raiders. It will be interesting if Jacksonville adds another finalist now that Coen is out, as both Saleh and Graham are defensive-minded leaders. The Jags have also interviewed OCs Joe Brady, Todd Monken and Kellen Moore. Kliff Kingsbury was believed to be on the team’s radar, but teams will have to wait until the Commanders’ season ends to meet with the resurgent play-caller.

Buccaneers Preparing For Liam Coen To Land Jaguars’ HC Position?

January 21st, 2025 at 10:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jaguars were one of the three teams heavily linked to Ben Johnson. The in-demand staffer wound up being hired by the Bears, though, leaving Jacksonville in need of pivoting to a contingency plan.

It appears a favorite amongst the remaining candidates has emerged. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports the Buccaneers are bracing for offensive coordinator Liam Coen to be offered the Jaguars’ job. Coen is on Jacksonville’s list of finalists, having lined up a second interview for tomorrow.

The Jags are also slated to speak with former Jets head coach Robert Saleh as well as Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, but Stroud notes there is an increasing sentiment that the Jacksonville HC posting is “Coen’s to lose.” It was reported last week (when Johnson was still on the market) that the 39-year-old was in contention for the position. As a result, this latest update comes as little surprise.

Dave Canales had a successful single season as the Buccaneers’ offensive play-caller in 2023. He parlayed that into the Panthers’ head coaching gig, leaving Tampa to bring in Coen for this past campaign. The former Rams and Kentucky OC enjoyed a very strong debut season with the Bucs. The team ranked top-four in the league in total and scoring offense in 2024, remaining efficient on the ground and through the air along the way. Tampa Bay finished fourth in the NFL in rushing yards per game after posting the worst figure in that category each of the two previous campaigns.

The Jaguars moved on from Doug Pederson after his third year with the team concluded. Several candidates with an offensive background were interviewed once as part of Jacksonville’s ongoing search process, though, and the continued interest in Coen is a sign the team is willing to make another hire from that side of the ball. Stroud confirms Coen’s first interview went well, noting his potential to help Trevor Lawrence as a key factor which could land him the job.

If Coen were to depart, the Buccaneers would need to find a new OC for the fourth consecutive offseason. It remains to be seen if that will be the case, but such a scenario is obviously one the team is preparing for.

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