Jaguars Make Shocking Move for Buccaneers OC Liam Coen

The NFL head coaching cycle has its first truly dramatic turn of events.

The Athletic’s Greg Auman broke the news on January 24 that Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen is set to become the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars just days after Coen took his name out of the Jaguars’ coaching search and the Buccaneers agreed to make him one of the NFL’s highest paid coordinators.

“I can confirm that Liam Coen has notified the Bucs he’s taking the Jaguars’ head coaching job,” Auman wrote on his official X account. “Wild turn in last two days, taking his name out of Jags’ search to get a nice raise and stay with Bucs, only to change course for much larger raise and top job in Jacksonville.”

According to ESPN, Coen ghosted the Buccaneers most of Thursday before finally making contact with head coach Todd Bowles to inform him he was in Jacksonville doing a second interview.

While Coen’s change of heart might be tough for Tampa Bay fans to swallow, there was more to it.

From ESPN: “A source, meanwhile, told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that given the latest turn in Jacksonville’s head coaching hunt, Coen figured he owed it to himself to speak with the team about the job. The development comes a day after Coen, 39, pulled himself out of the running for the Jaguars’ job. Hours later, the Jaguars and general manager Trent Baalke parted ways.”

It’s the second consecutive season the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator has been poached as the head coach for another NFL team after the Carolina Panthers hired Dave Canales following the 2023 season.

Coen’s Long Back and Forth With Bucs, Jags

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on January 22 that Coen was spurning the Jaguars to stay in Tampa Bay and become one of the NFL’s highest paid coordinators.

“Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen is taking himself out of the running for the Jaguars’ head coaching job to stay in Tampa on a new contract that now will place him amongst the highest-paid coordinators in the NFL, per sources,” Schefter wrote on his official X account on January 22. “Bucs are keeping their OC.”

The Jaguars formally requested an interview with Coen on January 7.

On January 21,  Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported the Buccaneers were operating under the belief Coen would be offered the Jacksonville job.

According to Front Office Sports, the 2 highest paid offensive coordinators in the NFL in 2024 were Todd Monken of the Baltimore Ravens and Mike Kafka of the New York Giants at approximately $3 million per year.

Coen Being Brought in for One Specific Reason

The Jaguars are bringing Coen in for one specific reason — to try and get Jaguars quarterback and former No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence’s career back on track.

Lawrence became the NFL’s highest-paid player of all time when he signed a 5-year, $275 million contract in June 2024 and responded with the worst season of his professional career in almost every statistical category. Lawrence also missed a career-high 7 games, went 2-8 in the 10 games he did start and suffered 2 alarming injuries with a brutal concussion and season-ending shoulder surgery.