Where Buccaneers Coach Liam Coen Ranks Among Offensive Play-Callers in NFL

For the third - or fourth - straight season the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are changing offensive play-callers with Liam Coen replacing Dave Canales.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made the playoffs in four straight seasons, and in at least three of them, they've done so with major changes impacting the offensive play-calling. 

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Regardless of how involved former Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians was or wasn't in what offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich did prior to Arians taking a front office position, things drastically changed once he did. 

Then came Dave Canales in 2023, and a third-straight NFC South Division title for Tampa Bay.

With Canales heading to the Carolina Panthers now Liam Coen comes in as yet another new face and voice at the controls of the Bucs' offense for 2024.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield (17) talks with offensive coordinator Liam Coen against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first half at SoFi Stadium / Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

"Coen is the unproven coordinator I am most excited to see in action," says 33rd Team's Derrik Klassen while ranking Coen No. 24 among NFL offensive play-callers this season. "At Kentucky, he called an exceptional pro-style offense commandeered by future second-round pick Will Levis. The following year, Coen returned to the Rams and bounced back to Kentucky again in 2023. Weird cycle, I know. 

"Coen has yet to be the primary play-caller in the pros, but his work at Kentucky, especially in 2021, was terrific. Though low on this list purely based on lack of experience, Coen has a shot to be an awesome offensive coordinator."

While near the bottom of the league in Klassen's projections it's not because of what his perceived potential is, but rather that he hasn't had his hands firmly on the controls in the NFL just yet.

Still, quarterback Baker Mayfield certainly seemed pleased with Coen's hiring saying, "He's a guy that brings the knowledge and the fire."

Mayfield also said outside of some terminology Buccaneers players should be able to fold into Coen's scheme easily, which would help shorten the learning curve significantly.

The coach and quarterback worked together for a relatively short period back when each was with the Los Angeles Rams organization in 2022, and seem excited to work together again in Tampa Bay.

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There's just the pesky detail of Mayfield's contract to sort out now.

Coen came in ranked higher than Atlanta Falcons play-caller Zac Robinson (No. 28) and Klint Kubiak (No. 30) of the New Orleans Saints.

Canales and coach Brad Idzik combined to rank No. 13 overall on the list.

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