Buccaneers' Liam Coen discusses head-coaching buzz ahead of win-and-in game

For a piece published on Thursday morning, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler shared that "just about everybody I talk to agrees that" Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen "has a real chance to become a head coach after one year in Tampa Bay." 

Coen spoke with reporters later in the day and suggested he could continue working with quarterback Baker Mayfield and other Buccaneers players for another season. 

"I do believe I’m ready to [be a head coach]," Coen said, as shared by the JoeBucsFan website. "But yeah, that is a dream. Does that need to happen when I’m 39 years old and having probably the most fun in my life — coaching and working and being here? No. That doesn’t mean that needs to occur right now."

Coen first served as Mayfield's offensive coordinator when the two were together across five games with the Los Angeles Rams late in the 2022 season, and it's widely believed Mayfield's endorsement resulted in the Buccaneers choosing Coen after Dave Canales left the organization to become head coach of the Carolina Panthers last winter. 

Mayfield undeniably has thrived under Coen, and the 9-7 Buccaneers are now a home win over the 5-11 New Orleans Saints away from clinching a playoff berth as champions of the NFC South. 

According to Pro Football Reference, Mayfield heads into this weekend ranked third in the NFL with 4,279 passing yards, tied for second with 39 touchdowns through the air and fourth among qualified players with a 107.6 passer rating for the season. Meanwhile, ESPN stats show Tampa Bay is third in the NFL in total offense (399.8 yards gained per game). 

The Chicago Bears are expected to target an advertised offensive guru such as Coen to fill their head coach opening and get the best out of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Fowler noted that a confident offensive mind such as Coen may feel he can turn Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars into an elite signal-caller if the Jaguars move on from Doug Pederson as soon as this coming Monday. 

"That is absolutely the goal," Coen added about eventually becoming a head coach at the highest level. "But like I said before, that goal can hold off for a while here and continue to do what we’re doing." 

For now, Coen will try to focus on helping the Buccaneers do more than just participate in the upcoming postseason tournament. As of Thursday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Tampa Bay as a 13.5-point favorite for this Sunday's matchup versus New Orleans held at Raymond James Stadium.