BREAKING: Liam Coen Reverses Course, Takes 2nd Interview With Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars search for a new head coach has taken another wild twist.
According to multiple reports, of which Jacksonville Jaguars On Sports Illustrated can confirm, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen is in Jacksonville for an in-person interview for the head coach job.
Sources close to the situation have indicated that Coen is the clear favorite to land the job after the Jaguars continued their pursuit of him following his withdrawl from the search.
Coen was set to meet with the Jaguars for an in-person interview on Wednesday, but took his name out of the running before his interview began. Coen agreed to a pay-raise and a new deal with the Buccaneers, which left the Jaguars scrambling.
Shortly after the Coen news stunned the Jaguars -- who considered Coen the favorite for the job -- the team agreed to part ways with general manager Trent Baalke. Baalke was seen as a huge road block in the Jaguars' search, and the Jaguars quickly continued their pursuit of Coen on Wednesday evening.
This led to Coen traveling to Jacksonville on Thursday; as of this writing, Coen is inside the Jaguars' facilities.
With the Jaguars interviewing Patrick Graham on Thursday, the Jaguars would be eligible to make a new hire as soon as his contract is up.
Coen, who has been a long-time assistant for Sean McVay and also had success with Will Levis at Kentucky, just wrapped up his first year as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator -- a year that saw the offense turn into a top-5 unit. In 2024, the Buccaneers ranked top-five in: total offense, scoring offense, rushing offense, passing offense, third-down percentage, and red-zone touchdown percentage.
"Liam has done an incredible job," Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield said earlier this month.
"It's the influence he's had throughout all the guys teaching the game of football, and I've mentioned to you guys like all year, that teaching the details of why we're doing certain things, why we have certain plays alerted or canned, whatever you want to call it. And he does a great job of that, and then calling the plays with player strengths, that's what good OCs do. And so he's done an unbelievable job."
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