Bucs continue to make Liam Coen's life hard after he tried to hurt the franchise for the third time in a week
Liam Coen's name is one that will be unwelcome in Tampa Bay for quite some time and for obvious reasons. The former Bucs offensive coordinator soiled his reputation after a shady exit that resulted in him becoming head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.And now, he's trying to lure away two of the Bucs' most important […]
Liam Coen's name is one that will be unwelcome in Tampa Bay for quite some time and for obvious reasons. The former Bucs offensive coordinator soiled his reputation after a shady exit that resulted in him becoming head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
And now, he's trying to lure away two of the Bucs' most important coaches, but Jason Licht isn't having it.
Earlier in the week, Coen requested to interview the Bucs' current offensive line coach, Kevin Carberry, for the same role in Jacksonville, but Tampa Bay shot down that down. Then, word came out early Friday morning that he requested to interview Bucs' current assistant offensive line coach Brian Piccuci, but that was shot down, as well. Both coaches have worked with Coen in the past and that played a big role in them "following" him to Tampa Bay.
Per NFL rules, the Bucs can block any assistant coach under contract from leaving for a job that's less than a coordinator position. So, it's apparent Coen isn't offering either one of these guys the offensive coordinator position, which makes sense since Coen will be calling plays on offense.
It's impossible to blame the Bucs for blocking Coen's requests, especially since it's not advancing Carberry's and Piccuci's careers, to an extent. What Coen did would leave a very sour taste in any franchise's mouth and what he's trying to do, now, is weaken the Bucs' coaching staff, even more. Carberry and Piccuci were pivotal figures in developing the Bucs offensive line and turning the run game into what it was. Why on Earth would Licht put himself in a deeper hole while he tries to find Coen's replacement?
And, frankly, why would he make Coen's life any easier by allowing these guys to interview? There's a 100% certainty both get hired because of their relationship with Coen – helping him shouldn't be in the Bucs' interests and again, there's no "bad look" that comes with the Bucs' decisions.
We definitely and understably have some bad blood, here. It's going to be really interesting to see how everything plays out in 2025 and down the road.
