The idea of Liam Coen becoming the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t seem like a wild possibility earlier this week. In fact, things seemed to align that way, especially during the NFL’s divisional round weekend after Coen’s initial interview on January 15. A second interview was even scheduled for Wednesday, January 22. However, what unfolded between Coen, the Jaguars, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers turned into a dramatic saga—a coaching carousel story for the ages.
A Verbal Agreement Sealed the Deal
By Thursday night, the Jaguars and Coen had reached a verbal agreement to name him their new head coach. While the long-form contract still awaits execution, it's mostly a formality at this stage. This marks the end of a highly unconventional process that kept NFL insiders and fans alike on the edge of their seats.
A Tense Negotiation in Tampa Bay
Before Coen even had his first video interview with Jacksonville, Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht foresaw the risk of losing his offensive coordinator. In an effort to retain him, Licht approached Coen with a groundbreaking offer: a salary that would make him the highest-paid coordinator in NFL history—by a wide margin.
Licht’s bold move was approved by the Buccaneers' ownership, the Glazer family. However, Coen was encouraged to still take the interview with the Jaguars for the experience, which was a telling move. Coen agreed, and his performance in that first interview was strong enough to earn him a spot among three finalists. The other two candidates? Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and former Jets head coach Robert Saleh.
But there was a twist. The Buccaneers’ lucrative offer came with a condition—Coen couldn’t move forward with the Jaguars’ second interview if he wanted to secure the historic pay raise in Tampa.
A Battle of Offers
As the second interview with Jacksonville loomed, Coen found himself at a crossroads. Tampa's management held firm, refusing to negotiate further, while Coen pushed for more time to make his decision. The Buccaneers’ deadline of Monday was extended to Tuesday, and then again to Wednesday morning. Finally, Coen verbally accepted Tampa’s three-year deal, sharing the news with ownership, head coach Todd Bowles, and a few close players.
At that moment, it seemed Coen had made his choice. But the NFL world can turn on a dime.
The Turning Point in Jacksonville
Not long after Coen’s acceptance, news broke that the Jaguars had fired their general manager, Trent Baalke. This development fundamentally changed Jacksonville’s offer to Coen. Suddenly, he wasn’t just being considered for the head coach role; the Jaguars were now giving him a rare chance to help select the team’s next general manager. Such opportunities are almost unheard of for first-time head coaches—Kyle Shanahan’s hiring in San Francisco was the only recent example of a similar scenario.
This new offer was too good to ignore, and it set the stage for a dramatic shift in Coen’s decision.
A Web of Secrecy
The Jaguars knew they had to play their cards carefully to land Coen. They needed to satisfy the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least two minority candidates for head coaching jobs. They scheduled Patrick Graham for an in-person interview on Thursday but canceled Robert Saleh’s planned second interview to avoid tipping their hand.
Meanwhile, Coen quietly traveled to Jacksonville on Thursday morning. The Jaguars emphasized to his camp the importance of secrecy—not only to satisfy league rules but also to avoid jeopardizing Tampa’s offer, which was contingent on Coen staying away from Jacksonville.
Despite the cloak-and-dagger approach, word eventually leaked. By late Thursday afternoon, Buccaneers staffers learned from sources inside the Jaguars’ facility that Coen was already there. For Tampa, the writing was on the wall.
Tampa’s Frustration and Coen’s Gamble
By Thursday morning, the Buccaneers were growing increasingly concerned. Coen was unresponsive to calls from GM Jason Licht, assistant GM Mike Greenberg, and even head coach Todd Bowles. When Coen finally called Bowles late that afternoon, he mentioned a personal matter but also admitted that Jacksonville’s situation had changed significantly. He revealed that he was traveling to explore the new opportunity, though he stopped short of confirming he was already in Jacksonville.
Within hours, the news was out. Coen was in the Jaguars’ facility, and Tampa’s hopes of retaining their offensive mastermind were effectively dashed.
Why Coen Chose Jacksonville
The Jaguars’ offer wasn’t just about money—it was about control, opportunity, and vision. Alongside a competitive financial package, the chance to pick his own general manager represented a dream scenario for Coen. It’s a level of influence that most first-time head coaches can only imagine, and for Coen, it was worth the risk of turning down a historic coordinator salary in Tampa.
The Messy Yet Triumphant Finish
The Jaguars and Coen carefully navigated the league’s hiring requirements while balancing the coordinator’s commitment to Tampa. By Thursday night, both sides had what they wanted—a verbal agreement sealing Coen’s future as Jacksonville’s head coach.
This whirlwind week will likely be remembered as one of the wildest coaching searches in recent NFL history. Coen’s journey from one of the NFL’s most coveted coordinators to a first-time head coach with unprecedented leverage highlights how quickly fortunes can shift in the league.
For Jaguars fans, this marks a fresh start with a coach poised to bring a new vision to the franchise. For Buccaneers fans, it’s a bitter pill to swallow, losing one of the brightest minds in football. Either way, Liam Coen’s coaching saga is one for the books—a rollercoaster of negotiations, loyalty, and ambition that ended with a bold new chapter in Jacksonville.
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