The Jacksonville Jaguars made the official announcement on Friday afternoon that Liam Coen will be the team’s next head coach.
Coen joins the Jaguars after one season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator. Before that, he spent time as both the Kentucky offensive coordinator and as the offensive coordinator for the LA Rams in a non-play calling role with Sean McVay at the helm.
The 2024 season for Coen and the Bucs’ offense was a resounding success. As we detailed here, basically pick a category on offense, and there’s a good chance that the Bucs were among the best in the NFL.
“Becoming the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars is an opportunity of a lifetime, and one that I am going to run with to instill a championship culture and winning tradition here in Duval,” said Coen in a statement. “This doesn’t happen without the support and opportunities that my family and I have been afforded throughout my career, especially during this past season in Tampa Bay. We thank Todd Bowles for his continued support and the entire Buccaneers organization for the experience, and know they will have success ahead.
“Most of all, we are grateful to Shad Khan for his belief in what we will bring to the Jaguars. We will work tirelessly to reward his confidence. As head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, I will hire a first-class coaching staff, establish a distinctive and effective brand of football on both sides of the ball, and our players will live for the black and teal. Shad and Jaguars fans should expect nothing less, and that’s what we plan to deliver and more. My wife Ashley and our family are honored to be here and a part of the Jacksonville community. We are ready to get to work.”
A key task for Coen will be getting the Jaguars’ offense back on track and maximizing the ability of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, which was something Coen was able to do with Baker Mayfield, who put together a career year in many respects this past season.
However, while the Xs and Os component is obviously important, the scope of responsibility for a head coach goes beyond just that crucial element.
As Lawrence discussed recently when meeting with the media when asked about what he wants to see in the next head coach, Lawrence mentioned the importance of finding a leader and culture setter to bring back the “toughness” and “confidence” that has been missing.
Owner Shad Khan also released a statement once the news that Coen would be the next head coach became official.
