Liam Coen

Poll: Which Team Made Best 2025 HC Hire?

February 12th, 2025 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the Saints making their post-Super Bowl Kellen Moore hire official, the NFL’s 2025 HC carousel has stopped. Nearly a fourth of the league has now changed coaches. Who fared the best with their hire?

Starting in Chicago makes sense, as the Bears convinced picky candidate Ben Johnson to sign on. Johnson was squarely on the Jaguars and Raiders’ radars, to the point it is safe to assume the three-year Lions OC was the favorite for both AFC teams. Johnson expressed concern about the Jaguars’ then-Trent Baalke-centered front office setup, and the Raiders could not entice the highly valued play-caller with a rumored big offer.

The Bears are believed to be giving Johnson a $13MM-per-year deal — more than twice Matt Eberflus‘ salary — to develop Caleb Williams after an uneven rookie season. After Johnson played the lead role in reviving Jared Goff‘s career and turning the Lions’ offense into a dominant attack, this is the most anticipated Bears hire in decades. Johnson will work with holdover GM Ryan Poles, who is expected to receive an extension, and team president Kevin Warren.

As this marks a third straight instance of the Bears drafting a first-round quarterback then firing their HC one season into that player’s career, the Patriots are in the same boat. They jettisoned Jerod Mayo one year into Drake Maye‘s career, capping a tough year for Robert Kraft, who passed on a head coaching search in 2024 due to having identified Mayo as Bill Belichick‘s long-term successor years ago. Kraft’s initial plan was for Belichick to coach through the 2024 season, giving Mayo more on-the-job training. But the Pats’ 4-13 2023 record scuttled that aim. After Belichick’s firing, Mayo did not prove ready — in the eyes of Kraft and most other observers.

Enter Mike Vrabel, who will make his return to Foxborough 16 years after being included in the Matt Cassel tag-and-trade transaction. The 2021 NFL Coach of the Year made sense as an option in 2024, when the Pats had a vacancy, but the team had inserted language in Mayo’s contract naming him the HC-in-waiting. New England has Vrabel set up to have the final say moving forward, though both he and de facto GM Eliot Wolf will report to Kraft. Vrabel was viewed as having overachieved in Tennessee, leading the Titans to their first AFC championship game since 2002 and following that up with two more playoff berths — including a No. 1 seed in 2021.

The Jaguars enjoyed a much more complicated route to complete its HC hire. After favorite Liam Coen initially rejected a second interview, Shad Khan fired Baalke — who was again viewed as a hindrance in a coaching search — and conducted stealth negotiations with Coen to reconsider. He ultimately did, and despite the one-and-done Buccaneers OC not having worked for the same team in back-to-back years since a three-season Rams tenure that ended in 2020, he is believed to be tied to a Johnson-level contract and will effectively pick the next Jaguars GM.

This is quite the coup for Coen, after he helped Baker Mayfield to a 41-touchdown pass season, and the exit — after Coen had agreed on a Bucs extension — certainly ruffled feathers in Tampa. But the Jags were desperate for an offense-minded coach to boost Trevor Lawrence, whom the team gave a $55MM-per-year extension ahead of a 4-13 season.

The Raiders pivoted to Pete Carroll, who is set to become the oldest HC in NFL history. Carroll, who will turn 74 in September, profiles as a short-term option. The Raiders gave the former Seahawks Super Bowl-winning leader a three-year deal, which is shorter than the typical HC contract. Carroll will work with powerful minority owner Tom Brady in aiming to turn the Raiders around. The Raiders have gone through four HCs and four GMs (John Spytek the latest) this decade, and they will hope Carroll can calm things down. Carroll was linked to conducting his interviews with a potential successor in mind. The team, however, hired 61-year-old OC Chip Kelly and kept Josh McDaniels‘ DC choice (Patrick Graham); this points to Carroll’s successor not yet being with the team.

Like Vrabel, Aaron Glenn is returning to the team with which his playing career is best identified. The former Jets first-round CB is being given more power than Robert Saleh held, being set to report to ownership. Woody Johnson went so far as to label GM Darren Mougey as Glenn’s sidekick, illustrating both a tremendous opportunity for Glenn and the state of a Jets organization that had trouble attracting candidates (Vrabel and Johnson among them) after a turbulent year.

Glenn, who comes over after elevating the Lions into a top-10 defense despite Aidan Hutchinson‘s injury, is already making his voice heard. Aaron Rodgers is not expected back, with Glenn and Mougey believed to have pressed the QB on ditching his Pat McAfee Show segments in an effort to focus on football. After two years of the Jets catering to Rodgers, they are in the hunt for a new passer — one Glenn will have a significant say in identifying.

Prior to his Cowboys meetings, Brian Schottenheimer had not conducted a head coaching interview since PFR launched in 2014. The second-generation NFL coach has made the stunning leap from off-radar candidate, who had been Mike McCarthy‘s non-play-calling OC, to Jerry Jones‘ next sideline leader. The Cowboys again conducted a strange HC change, waiting a week to ditch McCarthy — after term length proved a negotiating sticking point — before being tied to Deion Sanders, who never officially interviewed.

Schottenheimer beat out three candidates, as Dallas’ past three HC changes have now featured an interim promotion (Jason Garrett), a two-candidate pool (McCarthy) and now an off-grid option. Schottenheimer has, however, been a four-time NFL OC, dating back to 2006. He was in place for some strong Russell Wilson Seahawks showings, albeit having been fired from that post after three seasons.

The Saints saw McCarthy, Joe Brady and Kliff Kingsbury bow out, as their perennially bad cap situation — one featuring an onerous Derek Carr contract — certainly may have deterred some candidates. But Moore stuck with the team, agreeing to terms despite Super Bowl LIX having raised his stock considerably. The three-time OC will call plays in New Orleans, which will aim to find a post-Carr answer during Moore’s tenure.

Although the new Saints HC’s staff has yet to take shape, Moore will aim to elevate New Orleans after four straight non-playoff seasons. He comes to Louisiana after helming an Eagles offense that peaked at the right time, as the team overpowered the Commanders and Chiefs to claim the championship.

Which teams did the best (and worst) this year? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on the 2025 HC carousel in the comments section.

Bears Expected To Extend GM Ryan Poles; Team Authorizes Upper-Crust HC Salary For Ben Johnson

February 4th, 2025 at 10:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Going 0-for-3 in winning seasons as Bears GM, Ryan Poles nevertheless received a vote of confidence from team president Kevin Warren. The third-year Bears honcho installed Poles as the leader of the HC search process, doing so shortly after the club’s decision to can Matt Eberflus.

Poles arrived in Chicago two days before the Bears hired Eberflus. This gave the ex-Chiefs exec say in whom the Bears hired, albeit without him running the 2022 search. As such, Poles will be more closely tied to his second HC hire. The Bears’ latest HC add comes with much greater fanfare compared to Eberflus, and due to the demand Ben Johnson created, a high salary will come with it.

The Bears signed off on a $13MM-per-year deal for Johnson, according to ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin. That AAV more than doubles Eberflus’, with Cronin placing that at $6MM. While three AFC West coaches (Andy Reid, Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh) are out-earning Johnson, not many others are. With coaching salaries not tied to the cap, teams are not required to make them public. But Johnson’s money likely checks in as a top-10 HC salary. It came after the Bears won a bidding war of sorts.

Johnson, 38, received extensive interest from the Jaguars and Raiders. While Mark Davis said the Raiders never made an offer, they were linked to preparing a big-ticket HC contract to add the successful Lions OC. The Jaguars also were believed to have Johnson atop their list. Trent Baalke‘s presence impeded Jacksonville — though, Johnson was believed to have stopped short of asking the Jaguars to move on from their then-GM — while Tom Brady‘s Raiders sales pitch could not match what the Bears presented.

That said, the two coaches Las Vegas and Jacksonville did ultimately hire — Liam Coen, Pete Carroll — will not have holdover GMs. The Jags are still searching — for an exec Coen will need to approve — while the Raiders hired ex-Buccaneers assistant GM John Spytek. Johnson will work with Poles, but Cronin adds the high-end play-caller did not call for the Bears to start fresh at GM. Furthermore, Poles is likely to receive an extension that aligns with Johnson’s deal.

As it stands, Poles is signed through the 2026 season. However, Cronin adds the Bears are expected to authorize an extension to align Poles with Johnson. This will be a significant development for Poles, who is 15-36 as a GM. The Bears gave Poles’ predecessor — Ryan Pace — more time (seven seasons), and his first playoff berth did not come until his fourth season. Pace’s second HC hire (Matt Nagy) was responsible for that, after John Fox preceded Eberflus in going 0-for-3 in postseason appearances in Chicago.

The Bears gave Pace an extension during his fourth GM offseason as well, aligning him with Nagy. Although Warren is a new piece to this puzzle, a Poles deal coming this offseason would be quite similar to the Bears’ previous front office timeline.

Poles, 39, has certainly not been the most successful member of the 2022 GM hiring class. Neither Kwesi Adofo-Mensah nor Omar Khan has received an extension yet, despite two playoff berths occurring on their respective watches. The Giants have retained Joe Schoen, though he has also not received an extension and will enter 2025 on a hot seat. The Raiders fired Dave Ziegler midway through his second season. Poles beating his group to an extension would be surprising, but Pace’s tenure shows the Bears giving their GMs more time than HCs to turn the operation around.

An extension certainly does not make a GM bulletproof, as the 2022 ouster of Jon Robinson (Titans) and 2023 dismissal of Steve Keim (Cardinals) show. But a second contract will obviously prove financially beneficial for Poles. The Bears were able to land the biggest fish in this year’s coaching pool, however, and Poles would appear to be receiving tremendous credit for it. How Johnson fares with Caleb Williams will define Poles’ GM tenure in Chicago, but the young exec may not be facing a situation where he is on a particularly hot seat going into his fourth season.

Jaguars Name Tony Boselli VP Of Football Operations, Continue Staff Changes

February 3rd, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shad Khan said last month he hoped to beef up the Jaguars’ front office. Although the owner’s plan changed significantly thanks to the Trent Baalke firing during their HC search, the Jags are making a notable adjustment that will impact their next GM.

Tony Boselli was set to be part of the next Jags front office arrangement, and the team confirmed the move will come with an important title. The Jaguars announced Monday they are naming the Hall of Fame tackle their new executive VP of football operations. The team announcement indicates both Boselli and new HC Liam Coen will report to Khan, giving the new FO figure considerable power.

“Few people have better relationships throughout the NFL, know the game, and understand the value of strong team identity and culture as well as Tony Boselli,” Khan said. “Tony has a wealth of football acumen that we respect and need, and his counsel will be tremendously valuable to me and our football leadership team during this current rebirth and for many seasons to come.”

Boselli is obviously best known for his playing career. The No. 2 overall pick in 1995, Boselli moved from being the first draft choice in Jaguars history to the Hall of Fame. It took a belated bush, reminding of Terrell Davis‘ arc, for Boselli to land in Canton due to having his career cut short by shoulder injuries. Boselli, who earned three first-team All-Pro nods during a golden era for left tackles, also suffered an ACL tear late in the 1999 season.

Boselli, 52. has been with the franchise in the years since, most notably as a radio broadcaster, and has held multiple roles in the health industry. He will now be part of what still appears a Coen-led operation.

“My job is not to be out front; my job is to help Liam Coen, his staff and the new GM to have success,” Boselli said. “That’s all I want to do. That’s all I care about. It’s focused on Liam. I’m going to make sure Liam and that staff he has and the players he brings in have the ultimate success.”

Despite minimal experience compared to most coaches who have the chance to shape a GM search, Coen still looks set hold final-say power as the Jags form a triumvirate of sorts. This differs from how Khan constructed his front office during Tom Coughlin‘s time as executive VP, when he presided over GM Dave Caldwell and HC Doug Marrone. Coughlin’s second Jags stint ended with a dismissal, as player grievances mounted, two-plus years into his tenure.

In addition to Boselli, the Jags are making more moves to fill out Coen’s coaching staff. They are adding Matt Edwards and Anthony Perkins as D-line and DBs coaches, respectively, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. The Jags are also retaining Richard Anguolo as tight ends coach. The Lions inquired about the Doug Pederson holdover staffer, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, but the Jags stepped in and gave Angulo a multiyear extension.

Edwards comes over after a stint as Bills assistant D-line coach; he had spent two seasons with the Raiders and four with the Titans previously. A Packers staffer in 2024, Perkins will jump from the quality control level to take on his first role as an NFL position coach. He was previously coaching Oregon State cornerbacks before joining Matt LaFleur‘s staff. Angulo has been Jacksonville’s TEs coach since 2022; he previously spent eight seasons in Baltimore, coaching that position and working as an assistant O-line coach.

Coen has run into trouble staffing his O-line coach role, seeing the Buccaneers — not fans of the way he left town — block interviews with their O-line coach (Kevin Carberry) and assistant OL coach (Brian Picucci). Despite Picucci following Coen from Kentucky last year, he is staying in Tampa. As such, the Jags are interviewing Zak Kromer for the job, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Kromer has been with the Rams throughout Sean McVay‘s tenure, overlapping with both Coen L.A. stints. The son of Bills O-line coach Aaron Kromer, Zak is currently the Rams’ assistant O-line coach.

Jaguars Request GM Interview With Buccaneers Exec Mike Greenberg

February 3rd, 2025 at 6:11pm CST by Ben Levine

New Jaguars head coach Liam Coen is driving the organization’s search for a new general manager. It shouldn’t be a surprise that Coen is eyeing a familiar face to help guide his front office. According to FOX Sports’ Peter Schrager, the Jaguars have requested an interview with Buccaneers assistant general manager Mike Greenberg.

Greenberg has spent more than a decade in Tampa Bay’s front office. He’s gradually worked his way up the ranks with the Buccaneers, culminating in him earning the role of assistant GM ahead of the 2023 campaign. Per the Buccaneers website, the executive has been credited with managing the team’s salary cap, contract negotiations, and compliance with the CBA. He was lauded for his work last offseason, when he helped navigate the organization’s difficult cap situation to re-sign notable players like Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Antoine Winfield, and Lavonte David.

Interestingly, Greenberg was believed to be one of Tampa Bay’s decision makers who attempted to reach Coen during the play-caller’s off-grid departure from the organization. While there was some natural resentment following the fiasco, it may not be enough to dissuade the executive from considering a promotion in Jacksonville. The last we heard, Coen was reportedly “pushing hard” to bring Greenberg to the Jaguars.

The Bucs have so far rejected Coen’s request to lure contracted assistants to Jacksonville. While many of Coen’s initial inquiries were focused on lateral moves, Greenberg’s GM interview would represent a promotion. This means the Buccaneers wouldn’t be able to stop the executive from joining his former coach in a new spot.

The presence of former Jaguars GM Trent Baalke reportedly dissuaded some candidates from considering the HC gig, and the organization swiftly moved on from the executive when they realized the move would net them Coen. Greenberg is the first candidate to be definitively connected to the Jaguars, although Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham and former Titans GM Jon Robinson have also been mentioned as potential options for the organization.

For the Buccaneers, Greenberg would represent another high-profile loss for the organization. In addition to Coen, the team has also lost one of their other assistant GMs in John Spytek, who agreed to join the Raiders as their new general manager. Of course, a Greenberg loss wouldn’t be completely unexpected, as the executive met with the Jets about their vacancy earlier this offseason.

Jaguars Hire Anthony Campanile As DC

January 30th, 2025 at 10:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Liam Coen has landed his new defensive coordinator. The Jaguars are hiring Anthony Campanile to run their defense, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The Jaguars have since announced the move.

“Anthony Campanile represents exactly what we want to be as a defensive unit and football team,” Coen said in a statement (via Bleacher Report’s James Palmer). “He brings an aggressive defensive mindset and a system that is adaptable to our players and allows them to play fast and physical.”

Following a long stint coaching college football (including a one-year look as Boston College’s co-defensive coordinator), Campanile has seen a rapid rise through the NFL ranks. He got his first NFL job with the Dolphins as their linebackers coach in 2020, and he ended up spending four years in that gig. After going empty handed during Miami’s search for a new DC, Campanile left for a promotion in Green Bay in 2024, where he served as the Packers linebackers coach and run game coordinator.

The Packers finished this past season ranked seventh in rushing yards allowed per game (99.35) and third in yards per attempt (4.0). As a result of Green Bay’s impressive showing, Campanile became a relatively popular name on the coordinator circuit. He had an interview with the 49ers earlier this offseason, and Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says Campanile likely would have gotten the 49ers gig if Robert Saleh rejected the job. Silverstein notes that Campanile also had an opportunity to join Penn State as their new defensive coordinator.

Instead, the 42-year-old will be heading to Jacksonville, where he’ll be tasked with guiding a defense that finished last season ranked 31st in yards allowed and 27th in points allowed. Campanile’s extensive work with linebackers should also benefit some of the team’s recent draft picks, including 2022 first-round pick Devin Lloyd.

Coen made it clear that he wasn’t going to retain Ryan Nielsen on his new staff. The Jaguars launched a DC search that includes the likes of Panthers defensive pass game coordinator Jonathan Cooley, former Raiders DC Patrick Graham, Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, and Rams defensive pass game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant. Ultimately, Campanile won out.

With Campanile now in Jacksonville, the Packers will need to find a new coach for their linebackers. Matt Schneidman of The Athletic points to Sean Duggan as a natural replacement. Duggan most recently served as a defensive assistant in Green Bay’s linebackers room, but he previously coached the position under current Packers DC Jeff Hafley when the two were at Boston College.

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.

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