Bears plan to interview Liam Coen for offensive coordinator position

The search for the next offensive coordinator continues for the Chicago Bears and a third name has joined the growing list. According to Jonathan Jones, the lead NFL insider for CBS, the Bears are planning to interview Kentucky offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Liam Coen for their vacant offensive coordinator position. The list now contains Coen, […]

Kole Noble — Chicago Bears News Writer

Jan 12, 2024 10:06 PM EST

May 23, 2022; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen (left) and quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) during organized team activities at California Lutheran University. — Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The search for the next offensive coordinator continues for the Chicago Bears and a third name has joined the growing list.

According to Jonathan Jones, the lead NFL insider for CBS, the Bears are planning to interview Kentucky offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Liam Coen for their vacant offensive coordinator position.

The list now contains Coen, Seattle Seahawk's offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and San Francisco 49ers' passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak as the three known candidates the Bears have reached out to interview.

Who is Liam Coen?

Coen is a 38-year-old offensive mind who has four seasons of NFL coaching experience in his career. Coen is currently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the University of Kentucky. He re-joined the staff for a second stint in 2023 after serving in the same role for the program in 2021.

Coen has a close connection with Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops as well as a close connection with Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay. He is the second of three Bears OC candidates to have significant previous connections with McVay.

Coen served as the Rams assistant wide receivers coach from 2018-2019 and became the assistant quarterbacks coach in 2020. Cohen returned to the Rams in 2022 and helped work alongside quarterback Matthew Stafford as the team's offensive coordinator.

The Rams were fresh off a Super Bowl victory in 2022 but ended the season ranked 27th in points per game scored and last in total yards per game after Stafford missed the final seven games of the season.

2023 Resume

After an unfortunate return to Los Angeles, Coen went back to Kentucky as the program's offensive coordinator during this past season. Kentucky went 7-6 during the 2023 season and ended their season with a loss in the Gator Bowl against the Clemson Tigers.

The Wildcats scored 29.0 points per game in 2023. Coen worked alongside his second notable transfer quarterback in former NC State quarterback Devin Leary. In 2021, Coen's offense was ran by transfer quarterback and future Titans second round pick Will Levis.

Leary threw for 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2023 as the Wildcats' starting quarterback. The senior transfer was hopeful a final season in a new system could help boost his NFL draft potential after entering into the season as a potential top-10 prospect at the position.

Coen's return to the NFL seems like a likely move considering Stoops has already also toyed with the idea of leaving Kentucky after narrowly joining Texas A&M and has a uncertain future. He's an interesting candidate for the Bears to bring in for an interview and we'll see how well it goes for him.