Bucs' major offseason win could suddenly be turning into a loss, and Liam Coen would have no one to blame but himself
It seems as though the Bucs' celebrated offensive hero could be making a wrestling style heel turn in the Sunshine State. Just one day after agreeing to remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their offensive coordinator and spurning Jacksonville's advances to become their new head coach, it appears that Liam Coen is in the […]
It seems as though the Bucs' celebrated offensive hero could be making a wrestling style heel turn in the Sunshine State.
Just one day after agreeing to remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their offensive coordinator and spurning Jacksonville's advances to become their new head coach, it appears that Liam Coen is in the midst of a complete 180.
Per multiple outlets, Coen is in Jacksonville meeting with owner Shad Khan regarding the head coaching job. He's also apparently dodged calls from the Bucs trying to reach him for clarity of his plans, according to Adam Schefter, although Schefter later said Coen claims to have reached out to Bucs head coach Todd Bowles.
The disconnect there about advising Bowles vs. the Bucs' front office being unable to reach him is…odd. If he didn't answer calls or communicate properly, then that's poor form, but it's really not a situation he should ever have had to hide his interest. The Bucs would likely understand where he's coming from even with a change of heart. NFL head coaching opportunities don't grow on trees. Guys leave for promotions all the time. But if it was done with any kind of cloak and dagger moves, well, that's not the way to handle things.
As for the job itself, the Jaguars have not shown themselves to be the best at handling business in their front office. The way they approached the coaching cycle holding onto former general manager Trent Baalke was just flat-out bizarre. After two coaches allegedly turned down continued interest in the job because of Baalke (Ben Johnson and Coen), Khan finally sent Baalke packing on Wednesday. It was odd enough he kept his job after a poor four-year run. It was worse when they appeared to have missed out on two coaches because of it. Is that the way they run things in Jacksonville? Yikes.
As far as teams, Coen would be leaving one of the best offenses in football and a roster capable of competing for a Super Bowl for a team that is coming off of a three-win season and will have to get through Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow to reach the Super Bowl. Good luck with that.
If he stayed in Tampa, Coen would be in a position in 2025 to continue to build his brand and stock as an offensive genius, just as Johnson did this year in Detroit in his second year as a top candidate. He would be that guy. That would only help opportunities grow for him – as well as bargaining power – next cycle. Another strong offensive season in 2025 – which looks likely given the Bucs' roster composition – and he's next year's Johnson.
Instead, it appears as though things are trending towards the Bucs having to find a third new offensive coordinator in the last year. We'll see if that plays out, but for now, it feels like Coen could be on the way to Florida's other coast – for better for him, or for worse.
Update: According to ESPN Bucs reporter Jenna Laine, Coen didn't call Bowles until close to 6:00 pm ET after the Bucs allegedly attempted to reach him previously.
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